One Night
by neilia96
Summary: He was a Slytherin, she was a Gryffindor; she was brilliant and level headed, he was impulsive and too stubborn for his own good; She was soft in all the right places all the time, he was hard in all the wrong places except when it mattered. They were like night & day, but they had one thing in common: an unhealthy curiosity that might just get them both in trouble. A Dramione Fic!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have no idea what inspired me to write this, but here it is. It might be just this, but I may expand on it later if inspiration hits me again. Either way, enjoy and review.**

"You are barking mad, Malfoy if you think I'm going to come down into the dungeons with you tonight!" Hermione muttered under her breath. Their potion began to bubble and she smiled. It was going well so far considering how utterly distracted she was. She looked over at where Ron and Harry were taking turns dropping various ingredients into theirs and rolled her eyes.

"I'm asking you to give Slytherin a chance, Granger. That's it." Hermione turned to glare at him and was met with a solemn look. He was sincere, at least that was for sure. She saw something else in his eyes that she preferred to ignore as she offered him an annoyed look

"You have had multiple chances, Draco." Her voice softened and he noticed it. "Slytherin might not be as horrible as everyone thinks it is, but it's pretty awful, if you ask me." His face turned red at the accusation, but he'd already had a response in mind.

"So let us change your perception then. The cauldron began to send up large puffs of purple smoke. "Or are you too scared to spend one night with us." Professor Snape glanced up, noticing that their potion was finished and called the class to order.

Everyone but Draco and Hermione looked up. They were too busy staring into each other's eyes. Snape dipped an oversized ladle into their caldron and dropped it over the mouse in the bell jar. It sizzled and popped like acid on flesh and when the thick purple fluid began to part, the mouse was hairless with unnaturally huge eyes. Parvati screamed and covered her face, Neville rubbing small circles on her back. This drew the two teenagers' attention away from each other and for the brief moment Hermione was distracted, Draco scribbled something on a paper and slid it to her as Snape announced that the class was over. As soon as the paper left his hands, he picked up his book bag and strolled to the door, leaving a confused Hermione at the desk to open his note. He stood in the doorway waiting as students began filing out. She folded the paper open and bit her lip at what it said.

 _"Be one of us for a night?"_

With a warm feeling of anticipation settling in the pit of her stomach, she looked from the note to him and then to Ron and Harry who were bickering as they got their books together. Swallowing a lump in her throat she smiled tentatively at the blond in the doorway. Her blood was singing in her veins.

"Fine Draco, I'm yours for the night, just shut up about it now." He grinned victoriously and loped out of the room. She stared at the space he'd just vacated with a shocked look at her own brazenness. _What the hell had she just agreed to?!_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello again! I'm back with this story, because honestly, I'm having a blast writing it. I have no outline or anything so I still have no idea where it's going. But *drum roll* It's my birthday! Hold the applause!**

 **Seriously though, I decided to update this fic tonight in light of my good mood. Enjoy and review.**

 **Disclaimer, which I forgot last time: I may own the entire collection of Harry Potter Books including the cursed child but I am not JKR and do not own Harry Potter. If I did, Harry and Hermione would be more than a well founded fiction.**

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Gryffindor Common Room, 4PM

Hermione stopped at the huge picture window, sighed and walked back to the portrait hole of the common room. Ron groaned as she traced her way back to the window.

"Hermione will you stop pacing, you're making me dizzy." She shot him a venomous look and he looked back down at the scroll he was writing on.

"If you didn't want to help Hagrid tonight why did you offer?" Harry asked from across the room. He too was writing a two inch essay for History of Magic. Hermione had turned hers in that day so she had nothing to worry about that night except…

Abruptly, she turned around and walked to the portrait hole. Harry cleared his throat, reminding her of his question.

"Because neither of you were around and he sounded so bloody sad about having so much work to do and I don't have any tutoring to do tomorrow morning and it just slipped out." She sighed again, making a wide arch this time so she was standing at the huge fireplace. Harry looked up at her.

"So tell him something came up, tell him you got detention with Snape or something." He suggested helpfully but she shook her head. She couldn't do that to him, he'd looked so excited when she'd agreed. With another sigh, she turned to steps that led to the girl's dorm.

"I can't do that to him," She set her chin. "I'll just have to make the best of it, I made a promise and I have to honor it." She nodded, dismissing the idea of chickening out in her head and walked up the concrete steps.

Once in her room, she could finally let loose all of her trepidation and fear for the night ahead. She fell against the bathroom door, practically hyperventilating. What had she agreed to do? What was Draco planning to do with her for the entire night? He hadn't even told her how to dress so she was torn between vaguely formal like Slytherins usually dressed whether the occasion called for it or not and casual, the way she wanted to. In the end, she chose comfort over style and slipped into the black skinny jeans, black leather jacket over a light pink camisole and black sneakers. She put her hair up in the large mirror over the sink and as an afterthought added a light sheen of pink lip gloss. She was finally ready. She stepped out of the bathroom and was glad the bedroom was void of her room mates, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil and Ginny Weasely. She passed by her bed and pulled back the covers, placing three pillows in a vaguely human shape and pulling them back over it. It would look like she was sleeping when she pulled the sheer canopy. She only hoped no one would come in to check on her. Swallowing her doubt and fear, she walked back down the stairs, ready for the night ahead chanting her new mantra: _'Don't be a coward, Hermione.'_.

The common room was already filling up with students coming back from their last class and she barely said goodbye to Harry before ducking through the portrait hole. The fat lady smiled as she left, murmuring something about a date and she was preoccupied with her own thoughts as she made her way down to the Whomping Willow where Draco had asked her to meet. She saw him as she walked up, and with her footsteps being muffled by her sneakers, she had an opportunity to gawk at him unnoticed. His eyebrows were trained in a frown as he looked at his watch and he inhaled sharply, exhaling it just as quickly. He patted down his hair, rubbed the back of his neck, played with a rock under his shoe all in under twenty seconds before looking back down at his watch, groaning and inhaling again.

"Draco?" She said it quietly; she didn't want to scare him and as he turned towards her, his face broke out into a tentative smile. She breathed a sigh of relief when she took stock of his outfit. Loose black jeans and a dark blue button down, casual, just like her.

"Granger, you came." His voice was just as soft and slightly disbelieving, like he wasn't sure if she was really there. He soon recovered, because his haughty smirk returned. "Trying to prove you're not a coward then?"

"I'm not a coward." She stated firmly. "Not that I need to prove anything to you, but I have to admit, I was a little curious." He was curious too, but probably not in the way she was. She reached him in three long strides and stared him in the eyes. "How does a Slytherin spend his Friday night?"

"He spends it sneaking out to Hogsmeade." Hermione wanted to gasp but held it in. She couldn't show any weakness to him; that would be inexcusable. "There's a party being held above The Three Broomsticks." She nodded silently falling into step behind him as the left the tree.

"How are we going to get to Hogsmeade?" Draco grinned, grabbed her hand and led her to the broom closet just before the Quidditch pitch.

"We're going to fly." There were already a number of the brooms missing, but Hermione noticed two well maintained Nimbus 2001s waiting in a corner of the closet. He pulled the brooms and held out one.

"Wait, Draco." She choked out and he glanced at her disinterestedly. "I-I-I'm not that great a flyer, isn't there another way—" Draco shook his head.

"Granger, you can't say no now, you're already halfway there." His voice was chastising and she frowned.

"I'm not saying no, I'm asking if there's another way?"

"There is no other way." But then he smirked. "Do you want to stay?" She was sure he could see the huge breath she expelled.

"I don't want to ruin your night…" She responded diplomatically and he shook his head. The fact that she hadn't gone on the broom had already ruined his night truthfully, he had hoped she would have gotten through at least that.

"It's fine, I can find something else to do tonight." She caught the use of his singular and bit her lip, tasting the lip gloss she'd applied. _'Don't be a coward,'_ She'd repeated to herself as she walked down the halls of her school.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she pulled the broom from him and settled it between her thighs. Taking a deep breath, she kicked off. Draco eyed her, amused as she got her bearings in the air, making three wide circles before landing beside him.

"Gotten over your fear, have you?"

"I'm not a damned coward, Draco." She repeated forcefully. "I promised you a night and that's what you'll get. No chickening out." His amused look did not falter. Together, they took off into the night as silent and lithe as panthers.

With barely audible thuds, they landed on top of the Three Broomsticks, deposited their brooms behind the air conditioning units and Draco led her down the stairs and into a room lit up by a series of magical orbs hanging in the air. They were a variety of colors from red to yellow to green to blue and together, they made an excellent effect. There was a huge chandelier in the center of the room but instead of light, small drops of some liquid was flying out of it, falling on the party goers like rain. The music was loud, it sounded like the Weird Sisters and everyone was dancing.

"Drink?" Draco's lips were close to her ear and she nodded resisting the urge to shiver at their proximity. 'I'll show you to the bar." He grabbed her hand and pulled her through the crowd to where a makeshift bar had been set up. They sat on the stools and Draco called the bar tender over. "Do you know what you want?" She shook her head. She'd never been to a bar before in her entire life and her only brush with alcohol was when her father had given her a small glass of champagne to celebrate her getting accepted to Hogwarts. She still wasn't sure if she liked the taste. He ordered for them both and passed her a glass when the woman laid them down. Draco presented it to her with a flourish.

"What is this?" She put her lips to the brim and sniffed it. The first thing she noticed was that it smelled divine. Some kind of fruit blend. She sipped it and the alcohol hit her like a wrecking ball. She swallowed, the drink feeling hot as it slid down her throat.

"It doesn't have a name, sorry. I just know it goes excellent with the…" He pointed to the chandelier which, at that moment, let out another rain like spray of liquid.

"And what's," She pointed to the chandelier just as he had. "That?"

"That is something called a cocaine shot." As he said it, Blaise Zabini licked a trail of the liquid from a dark haired girl's neck. Hermione looked at the liquid on her finger. "Don't worry Granger, it's just alcohol, not drugs." To emphasize his point, he put his index finger in his mouth and sucked it. Hermione swallowed, her breathing coming out in uneven rasps. She licked her lips, disposing of the lip gloss once and for all and tasting some of the cocaine shot. Unlike the fruity drink in her hand, the alcohol in the cocaine shot was masterfully disguised. She grinned up at him, lifted her face and opened her mouth as the next bit came raining down. She swallowed, wiping her eyes.

"It's delicious." He nodded, eyeing her cautiously. "Do you do this every Friday night?" Draco shook his head, taking a sip of his drink. Hermione followed, getting used to the warmth of the alcohol. She continuously licked the cocaine shots off her fingers, hands and lips just as everyone around them was doing.

"Not every Friday, this happens every month, it was just pure luck you decided to come out here today." She smiled, licking her lips and draining the rest of her drink.

"Well thank you, I'm having a great time." Blaise ran up to them then with a huge smile in Hermione's direction. He looked quite drunk as Vincent Crabbe walked up too, grinning.

"Draco, the girls are starting Never Have I Ever in the small room." He pulled on Draco's arm and Draco pulled Hermione with him. Blaise offered her another look. "Great to see you ditched those Griffindork gits, Granger." Draco looked at him, horrified.

"Boiled as an egg, are you?"

"Not very," Blaise replied trying to look offended. "It's nice to see her here." The black haired boy repeated. "She always seems to—"

"Stuck up?" Crabbe suggested and Draco's eyes widened.

"Pretentious?" Hermione herself offered and Blaise looked just as shocked as Draco had. Blaise stepped back, shaking his head at her.

"I wasn't going to…" Hermione shook her head pleasantly. The music was fading as they travelled down a long corridor.

"It's quite alright Blaise, Draco thought the same thing. It's why he brought me here." Blaise nodded with a grin.

"Confusing, that." Hermione laughed. "Draco never much thinks of people other than himself." They both began to giggle.

"I'm right bloody here, you know."

Blaise pushed open the door to what Hermione guessed was the small room. Pansy Parkinson, Crabbe and Millicent Bullstrode sat down at a table along with Terry Boot and Padma Patil from Ravenclaw, Padma's sister Parvati and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff. Hermione was relieved when she saw all of them together. It wasn't just a Slytherin party and she felt less out of place. Millicient narrowed her eyes when she saw Hermione with Draco and Blaise but said nothing after a withering glance from Pansy. Padma patted her hand gratefully.

"Hermione!" Parvati exclaimed tactlessly and grinned. She had come here with her sister and a bunch of other Ravenclaws and the last thing she expected to see at this party was another Gryffindor. She slid down the seat so Hermione could sit but the latter only glanced up at Draco who shrugged. So they sat, Hermione between Parvati and Draco who sat next to Blaise then Crabbe. On the other side of the table, Padma sat with Terry, Pansy, Millicent and Susan. There were two tequila bottles on the table along with vodka and a smaller vat of Fire whiskey.

"So, we're playing Never Have I Ever, and for the new people in the room," Pansy gestured to Parvati and Hermione who blushed again. "It's where you say something you've never done and if the other people at the table have done it, they drink." Pansy uncapped the Tequilla and poured it into the butter beer mugs they'd stolen from downstairs. "I'll start." She passed the mugs around, thought for less than a minute and smiled.

"Never have I ever hexed someone in the halls." Draco rolled his eyes but to a small sip. Millicent, Blaise, Padma and Susan all sipped too. Hermione folded her hands in her lap. Pansy passed the bottle to Padma.

"Never have I ever snuck out of my dorm on a school night." Surprisingly enough, none of the Slytherins save Blaise drank, Parvati and Hermione both drank too. Draco glanced at her in surprise but said nothing.

"Never have I ever snogged someone that wasn't from my house." Crabbe muttered quietly, and Blaise rolled his eyes.

"At this rate, blokes, I'll be drunk before midnight." Blaise replied, drinking his tequila gaily. Draco laughed as he too drank and watched as Parvati drank.

Soon enough though, as the night wore on, the Never have I ever game became chatting good naturedly and drinking whenever you felt like it. Blaise had his hand draped around Hermione's shoulder as they talked about Ancient Runes, the latter was too flushed and giggly to even notice. Draco, who could hold his liquor a lot better, was in a debate with Padma about the use of Veritaserum in law enforcement with Terry chiding in whenever he could since they were both speaking so fast, Susan and Parvati were talking about Cedric Diggory and Crabbe was laughing with Millicent and Pansy.

"So Granger," Pansy began, leaning away from Crabbe and Millicent. "How come you showed up here tonight?" Hermione blushed furiously, not even knowing if Draco wanted to acknowledge her but he spoke up before she could.

"I invited her." He stated and Crabbe looked as shocked as Millicent whose jaw popped open. "She had nothing to do tonight, so I told her loosen up for once and come out with me." _Not to be confused with going out..._ He tried to telepathically communicate to the bushy haired witch who was staring at him curiously.

"Brave." Hermione turned to Padma who'd spoken. "It took ages to convince Parvati, I finally wore her down two hours before the party was supposed to start."

"Well I am in Gryffindor, we're known for our bravery."

"Yeah," Draco snorted. "It definitely didn't take forever to get you to actually come." Hermione bit her lip. "And either way, houses don't matter in this room." Padma smiled up at him.

"We're all just witches and wizards." She agreed with a grin.

"Satisfying, that." Terry chided in and looked at his watch. "Merlin's Beard, it's midnight, people." Padma stood up abruptly.

"We should go then, I hate being off the Hogwarts grounds between midnight and three am." Parvati shook her head, exasperated at her sister.

"For all your brains, Paddy, you are so superstitious." Padma glowered at her twin. "I _know_ , it's the witching hour and all that."

"Exactly, and it's not like we can say we don't believe in all that superstitious gunk, we are real life witches, who knows what else might exist." Pansy added, standing up too. Padma eyed her gratefully and the quartet left the room, causing Millicent, Crabbe and Susan to follow them shortly after. Blaise stood up with a suggestive smile.

"Well lady," He smiled at Hermione, "Git," He stuck his tongue out at Draco, "I'm going to leave too. Save myself the awkward moment." He ducked out of the door before Draco could comment. As soon as the door closed behind him, the tension in the room became palpable.

"This is only going to be awkward if we let it, Draco." The blond nodded with a frown. "How are you enjoying your night so far?" He considered her question seriously, deeming her one of the first people worthy of complete honesty from him.

"Not bad."

"Worse than when you're alone?" He thought for a moment and shook his head. "Alright then, would you like to go outside?" He nodded. Hermione wondered why he was being so quiet.

"This entire affair will last a while, just let me know what time you want to leave." Hermione smiled and nodded. He felt a zing go through him when after a beat, he smiled back and their eyes met. He wondered what the hell was happening to him. If the hot feeling in the pit of his stomach was any indication, his morbid curiousity about Granger might have possibly been more than he would ever be willing to admit.

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 **A/N: As an added bonus, the next chapter will be uploaded very soon. It's already typed up, just waiting to be edited. Review please? Pretty please? I'll be your best friieenndd... ;D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I may own the entire collection of Harry Potter books (including The Curse Child), but I do not own Harry Potter.**

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As they walked back down the corridor, it became evident that Hermione liked the music that was being played because as soon as they entered the room and she felt the cool cocaine alcohol falling on her, she danced her way into the crowd. Draco gaped after her and as though remembering that he was the one who brought her to the party, he followed, keeping an eye on her moving body.

When he got to her, Theo Nott grabbed her arm and twirled her around. She giggled and closed her eyes as alcohol rained down on them again. The pair continued dancing quite well, twisting and moving in time to the music while Draco watched them from a distance. Theo pulled her closer and whispered something in her ear making her laugh and whisper back. Draco felt a small flare of annoyance at how easily she took a liking to him when it had taken him ages to get her to say more than two words to her after she'd slapped him. As he watched, Hermione said something else to Theo and he gaped, pushing her hair out of her eyes. The girl laughed at his expression and he hesitated for a while, watching her dancing and licking liquid off her fingers. Finally, as though he mentally shrugged, he put his arms around her again, continuing their dance.

Draco watched for a little while longer and was content to just watch when Hermione caught sight of him and waved him over, dismissing Theo.

"Dance with me!" She yelled over, pushing her wet and sticky hair out of her eyes. By then, most of her unruly hair had already escaped from its tie and was framing her face. She looked sensational, if Draco had to be honest and Theo grinned at him suggestively. Hermione tried not to notice Draco's frustrated expression, choosing instead, to stick her thumb in her mouth. Theo danced away after a parting look and Hermione, feeling one moment of reckless abandon, pulled his hands to her waist and put her own on his neck and they danced, eyes closed, alcohol falling on them at two minute intervals without a care in the world.

Five songs later, Hermione's eyes flew open. Her front was pressed towards Draco's and they were grinding quite inappropriately against each other. She gasped and he looked down at her, a lazy grin spreading across his face. Gone was his frustrated, almost annoyed look of earlier.

"Liking the merchandise Granger?" She flushed from the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes. "It's just a trial, I'm afraid." She pulled her body away from his with a jolt and backed away, feeling the coldness that spread to her core as she did.

"No, I—"

"It's quite alright, Granger, no need to freak out; we were just caught up in the heat of the moment." Hermione nodded mutely.

"Can we just get out of here, the music is really loud." He nodded and grabbed her by her elbow. The cocaine shots falling from the ceiling was no longer welcoming but icy and uncomfortable, her hand felt clammy as they passed through the crowd to the small room on the roof where they left their coats. Draco picked her leather jacket off the back of a chair and passed it to her along with a tissue. She used the tissue to wipe of the excess alcohol on her neck, arms face and hands and passed it back silently.

"Any particular reason why you're being so quiet Granger, or is it just my lucky night?" Hermione threw him a venomous look.

"I'm just a little surprised by my behavior."

"It's the alcohol." He clarified. "Not that that was my plan, but it wasn't overly horrible, you know." Hermione blushed.

"I don't normally—" She stopped as he got on his broom and handed her hers. "I'm not used to any of this…"

"That was the point, Granger, to get you out of your comfort zone." He kicked off and she followed a little unsteadily. She got her bearings slowly and sidled up to him in the sky, the wind screaming in her ears.

"I liked my comfort zone!" She yelled at him and he slowed down, eyeing her cautiously. "I don't understand why you wanted to get me out of it in the first place." Hogwarts came into view in the distance.

"Isn't it obvious, Granger?"

"Not to me," He groaned, frustrated but slowed down even more so they could talk without having to yell over the harsh wind.

"The day you slapped me…" He searched for the right words as they continued on. "No one has ever stood up to me like that, Granger. Not even Pansy."

"Oh…"

"In Slytherin, everyone is just so content to take my shit because I'm a Malfoy and my father is someone important but you were the only person who didn't give a damn." They reached the school but instead of going lower so he could land when he wanted to, he raised altitude, the air getting colder the higher they went. They landed on the roof of the astronomy tower unceremoniously and Draco held her hand out for her broom. She passed it to him silently.

"You know, Draco, in the muggle world, no one really cares who your parents are, not when you're our age, anyway." Hermione bit her lip, glad to finally be on solid ground.

"Well Slytherins do. This house isn't evil, Granger." He walked slowly to the center of the roof and sat down. Hermione shrugged and followed suit. "They just value ambition and power above all else."

"Most of the antagonists you hear about in the Wizarding world are from—"

"Slytherin, I know." He sighed and lay back, looking at the stars. "Right now I'm asking you to look at me, not at the house." She frowned, thinking and after a beat, she nodded. She could do that. "I've always had a thing for this tower." He confessed. "In second year, I used to come up here on the night of the Waning Crescent." Hermione looked up and sure enough, the moon hung like a toenail.

"Why the Waning?"

"No idea, just a habit I picked up." He shrugged. "At the Malfoy Manor, whenever my dad would get mad at me, my mother would bring me out to this meadow on the property and we would just stargaze for hours." Hermione wanted to say something but instead left him to his thoughts. She too lay back, watching the stars. They were on the floor, close but not quite touching. That was something that she understood better than anyone else Draco knew. The value of silence, how not to speak. "You're not going to be annoying about the fact that I just shared something personal with you, are you, Granger?" Hermione shook her head.

"Not if you don't want me to be." She choked out. Inside Hermione, a storm was raging. She wasn't sure where exactly they could go from where they were. "I'm perfectly capable of pretending tonight never happened, Draco." She checked her watch. It was already close to two am. They both should be getting back to their dorms. The detention cover story couldn't work for much longer if caught in the halls.

"Maybe not," He muttered as she got to her feet. He followed suit. "We shouldn't just completely forget it, should we? I mean, we both had a good time." Hermione nodded. "I'm sure Blaise will be eager to flaunt your newfound friendship with him in front of scar head and weasel." Hermione shook her head, stifling a laugh.

"You might want to stop calling them that, Draco." She pointed out with a grin. "And I've never had a problem with Blaise."

"It's me your two bit friends hate, isn't it?" He said it like it was a fact, not as a question. "How on earth are they going to handle the fact that we're on civil terms?" Hermione pondered.

"Well it's not like we are just going to just up and become friends after one fun night," He nodded. "So I propose we take it slow. Maybe you cut out the insults and I can put a stop to the sarcastic comments."

"That sounds reasonable enough." At least she didn't just want to forget everything. That was a plus. "But Granger—"

"And that's another thing. I call you by your first name, that's usually an indication that you can do the same." He frowned.

"Easier said than done, Granger." He shook his head. "That might be asking a little too much of me." She rolled her eyes, still managing to look dignified. She had been wondering about Malfoy all night. Her slapping him in third year couldn't have been the only reason for his change of heart. He'd called her a mudblood and had apologized for it after all that mess with Voldemort a couple of months later. She'd barely spoken to him after the apology but had murmured forgiveness during potions when she'd heard about his mother being in St. Mungo's. Maybe that was what was causing him to be so nice to her. With his father in Azkaban, his mother in the crucio'd victims section of the Magic Hospital, Draco must be realizing that petty feuds meant nothing in the long run. His family members were dropping like flies; Bellatrix and her deranged husband were seconds away from being caught by the Aurors so he had no one. She almost felt pity for him and that made her want to be his friend more than anything.

In her thinking, Hermione lapsed into silence and Draco took a moment to gaze at her unnoticed. Her hair was practically out of its tie and fanned out across the concrete floor. Her lips were slightly parted, her eyes closed, enjoying the serenity of the moment. Her leather jacket was open, and with her tank top soaked, he could see the outline of her white bra. Her eyes eased open and she eyed him.

"Why are you staring at me, Draco?" She asked softly and he stammered. A light breeze blew some of her hair into her face and he resisted the immediate urge to push it back.

"Just wondering what was on your mind." He glanced at his watch. It was two am and if they stayed out any later, they would be reprimanded in the event that a patroller spotted them in the halls.

"I was thinking about you actually." His eyebrows shot up. "What else brought on this need to get me out of my comfort zone?"

"Do I need a reason?"

"You _hated_ me Draco. Hated. Loathed. Detested. You bullied me for years and all of a sudden you want to… What?" She frowned when he chuckled. "This is not a time for laughing, Draco Malfoy." He cut the chuckling but couldn't suppress a smile.

"Does your face always get so red when you're angry, Granger." That did it for her. She stood up in one fluid motion and started to walk towards the staircase. He was toying with her. Honestly, with everything that happen, she wanted to believe the best of him but he was making it impossible. She couldn't see how he expected to be taken seriously when—

"Wait!" He called making her turn around. She stood silently as he walked towards her holding both brooms in one hand. "If you must know, I'm tired of always being looked at in a bad way for what my father did." She inhaled sharply. "I am constantly being judged for how he helped You-Know-Who, how he almost killed his own wife to please him." The conversation was going in a completely different direction than Hermione was anticipating. "And I happen to know that you are a halfway decent person and an incredible witch despite being muggleborn."

"So what? Start off with me and become a better wizard, befriending one muggleborn at a time?" She questioned and he shrugged.

"Something like that." Hermione took a deep breath. "I really do like your company Granger," He admitted after a beat and she met his eyes, one eyebrow poised perfectly higher than the other. She looked more like the Granger he knew and loathed and he rolled his eyes.

"That sounded _painful,_ Malfoy." He let out a loud bark of laughter like she'd surprised him and she felt something go through her, watching him laugh. It was so different from the sneer that seemed painted on his perfect face at times. "Goodnight Draco." She turned back around.

"Goodnight Gr— Hermione." She froze in shock but by the time she turned around to stare at him wide-eyed, he was gone and Hermione Granger was left on the roof of the astronomy tower with her wits scattered and royally confused at her palpating heart. _What was happening to her?_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: It has come to my attention (only because I ended up with three different possibilities for this chapter and no idea which one to post) that I am in desperate need of a Beta Reader. So anyone interested can email me, My email is on my profile. Anyway, enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter (which I don't) I would definitely not be struggling through nursing school. I'd be living the dream. Since I am indeed struggling through nursing school and not living the dream, one has to come to the conclusion that I do not own Harry Potter.**

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Hermione was in the shower before either of her dorm mates woke up. She had never gone to sleep. After finally making her way back to the Gryffindor common room at around two thirty, she had sat down on her trunk with a weak lumos to light up her potions homework. When the first lights of dawn emerged, she'd put away her parchment and quill and trudged to the bathroom, eager to wash the stench of alcohol and Slytherin off her in case anyone could tell. She came out feeling refreshed and was immediately faced with Parvati who grinned at her smelling of alcohol, leaves and boy.

"You should know, Hermione, that no one really talks about these parties the morning after." She whispered and Hermione nodded silently. "But I had a blast and I'm glad you came too."

"Thanks, Parvati. It was nice to have some Lion company." The other girl grinned. "It was a crazy party." Parvati nodded. "Did you leave early with Padma?"

"Nah, I was having too much fun." She grinned even wider. "Theodore Nott and I arranged to meet in the greenhouse at three this afternoon." Hermione's eyes widened. "I ended up leaving around four with him, Blaise and…" She stifled a grin. "Millicent Bullstrode."

"Are you going to meet him?"

"I think so," Parvati walked into the bathroom, pulling off her socks. "I think he has a lot of issues; a lot deeper than he's willing to admit." Hermione lowered her head not wanting to admit that she though Draco had some deep rooted issues too. "It's going to be quite interesting to pull back his layers." Hermione blushed, not knowing why. Parvati closed the door and just like that, Ginny stirred, woke up and the day began like last night was nothing more than a dream.

It was no dream, as Hermione found out when she got to the Great Hall for breakfast that very morning. She sat down, as she always did next to Harry with Ron and Lavender Brown on the other side of the table. She was only just now feeling the after effects of all the alcohol she'd consumed and no one remarked at the fact that all she could stomach was a small glass of pumpkin juice. Parvati, sitting further away with Seamus Finnegan seemed to be having that same issue as she nibbled a small piece of toast. She was reminded of her escapades the night before when Blaise Zabini strolled into the Great Hall and instead of going over to the Slytherin table where he was accustomed to sitting, he went straight to Hermione at the Gryffindor table and sat down beside her. Hermione didn't even have the energy to groan or gasp or react in anyway like all the other students was doing. Smiling slightly, she turned to the boy who looked like death itself had crawled over.

"I see you're no better than I am." She whispered so low that no one could hear her. Blaise shook his head. She picked up a piece of toast from the huge buffet and held it out. He frowned at it until she insisted and accepted it, biting it straight from her hand. "It seems no one told you how the morning afters worked." She chided and he managed to grin. "This isn't the Slytherin table." Hermione continued wryly.

"Sorry if I'm ruining your street cred." He replied, not sounding sorry at all and she laughed. The entire Great Hall was completely silent but neither Blaise nor Hermione noticed it because they were wrapped up in their own world. They talked first about Snape's Potions homework and when Hermione said she'd finished it last night he asked her to help him with his and she said yes, still feeding him bits of toast. Then they managed to talk about Blaise's favorite subject: Transfiguration which was also Hermione's.

All the while, the school sat mystified at this bizarre interaction between two students of different houses none more mystified than a certain blonde who wasn't even eating as he watched Granger and Zabini make conversation across the room. He wouldn't have admitted it to Granger or anyone else but he envied the way Blaise was just able to march over to the Gryffindor's table and strike up a conversation with the brunette without Potty and Weasel hexing him into oblivion. Right now, Harry Potter was casting them curious glances but was mostly focused on the redhead next to him, Weasel's little sister and Weasley was too busy sucking Lavender Brown's face. He choked down a forkful of eggs but froze mid chew as Blaise's carefree laugh could be heard across the Great Hall. Hermione giggled too, quieter but anyone who was looking (and that was everyone) could see her shoulders shaking. They seemed to be finished eating and Hermione stepped away from the table, said goodbye to Potter, nodded to Weasley and left with Blaise.

As soon as the huge double door closed behind them, the Great Hall broke out in furious whispers. Everyone, even the Ravenclaws who never gossiped, seemed to be talking about what had happened. No one was close enough to catch what was said but everyone had ideas. Draco, who couldn't stand to hear any of it ducked out of his seat too and headed down the table to the front of the room with every intention of going down to the dungeons. He couldn't, however, ignore the twittering going on around him.

 _"Did you see that? Blaise Zabini and Hermione Granger."_ A mousy girl from Hufflepuff stated with a shocked look on her pinched up face. Malfoy rolled his eyes.

 _"I wouldn't think he had it in him to shag her, honestly, she's so plain."_ A Ravenclaw muttered to her friend and Padma Patil rolled her eyes too but said nothing.

 _"I'd never guessed Blaise would even look twice at a girl like her. When did they even meet?"_ This time, the whisper came from the Slytherin table and Draco bypassed them and walked down the center aisle.

 _"I heard she sneaked him into the Gryffindor common rooms last night."_ Daniella McKinnon muttered and Daphne Greengrass shook her head as she sipped her tea delicately.

 _"I think it's the other way around, Daniella."_ She confirmed with an awful Slytherin smirk. _"Because I know I heard some first year saw her sneaking through the Gryffindor's portrait hole at three this morning."_ With that, Draco slipped out of the hall with every intention of finding Granger and Zabini.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: If you don't know by now that I don't own Harry Potter then I don't know what to tell you. It should be obvious by now but if it isn't, I'll state it for the record: I Don't Own Harry Potter. Don't sue me, I have nothing to give anyway.**

 **Enjoy!**

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 _Granger, meet me_

 _Hermione, make sure_

 _I want to meet you tonight_

Draco crossed out the last words he'd written with an almost inaudible grunt. The quill made a hole in the paper and he crumbled it up.

"Oi, mate, chill." Goyle scolded from across the room where he was making small red sparks shoot out from the tip of his want. "I'm not even doing anything and you're making me anxious."

"What're you even doin', Malfoy?" Crabbe asked from his bed where he was scribbling on parchment. "Invitin' Granger to Zabini's little fete tonight?"

"No." Crabbe laughed at the defiant look in Draco's grey eyes and saw through his lie quite easily. "What if I was?" He wanted to know and Crabbe shrugged but Goyle was no longer paying attention to them.

"It don't really matter to me, but I reckon some o' the girls would have a right problem with it, they would."

"Well it's not like I care what they think."

"You care 'bout what Pansy thinks, you do." Crabbe pointed out with a sly look and Draco bit the inside of his cheek, pulling out another piece of parchment and dipping his quill in the inkwell.

"I don't think she'd have as much of a problem with it as you think." Draco almost whispered as he started the letter again. Bubo Bubo, his owl hooted impatiently as he wrote and with a scratch behind his ears, he sent the bird off with the letter for Hermione.

"What'd you tell 'er?" Crabbe barked from across the room, putting his wand away as he climbed into bed.

"I told her I'd pick her up from the Gryffindork's common room at midnight." He replied and Goyle snickered.

"And you're not worried about Potter or Weasley or Parkinson?" Goyle questioned again making Draco inhale sharply.

"No, I'm not. Pansy knows I how well I think my choices through and Potter and Weasel are her problems, not mine."

"'ow noble of yeh." Crabbe rolled his eyes and with a wave of his hands, the curtains of his canopy bed came together.

"See you later, Draco." Goyle snickered again as Draco's chair scraped the concrete floor in his haste to get up. He surveyed what he was wearing (black cotton pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt) and after deciding that Granger wouldn't care either way, he picked up his wand and left the dorm.

Bubo Bubo tapped on the window of the Gryffindor girls' dorm and with a grumble, Ginny Weasley rolled out of bed and padded barefoot to the window, opening it quickly. The rush of frigid air made her shiver as the owl made an impatient noise as it flew past her to land on Hermione's trunk. The girl in question looked up from where she was reading about the Draught of Living Death to eye the owl apprehensively.

"Hello there," The owl hooted happily as Hermione scratched behind its ears. Ginny groaned as she fell back into bed.

"Who owls anyone so late at night?" She demanded and Hermione picked the slim piece of parchment off of the owl's claws. It hooted again, flying out the window. Hermione managed a small smile as she opened the note.

"Someone with no sense of boundaries." Ginny heard the smile in her voice and peaked up at Hermione.

"Good news?"

"Completely neutral news." The latter slipped out of bed and searched her trunk hastily. She pulled out her desired outfit (loose black slacks and a dark green thermal sweater) and checked the note again, committing it to memory. She was glad Draco had arranged another meeting with her, even though it was with more of his friends.

 _H.G._

 _You and Blaise must have had a glorious day today, considering I couldn't find you. So much fun apparently that the git has asked you to join Slytherin (And some Ravenclaws) as we 'hang out' as Padma calls it._

 _If you do want to come (though we don't have any particular destination in mind) make sure the Gryffindor common room is empty at midnight. I'll pick you up then._

 _Sincerely,_

 _D.M._

"Where are you going so late?" Ginny wanted to know. "Hot date with Blaise Zabini?" Hermione rolled her eyes,, trying to put the outfit on while sliding off her nightgown simultaneously. "I can't believe you didn't tell me about that, by the way." She smacked her forehead lightly. "Merlin! Is _that_ where you've been all day? With Zabini?" Hermione, though she had nothing to hide and did not like Blaise that way, blushed fiercely. "Oh my gods. Hermione Granger and Blaise Zabini."

"No Gin, it's nothing—"

"Ron will have a bloody fit."

"He won't because nothing is going on between me and Blaise Zabini!" Hermione said that last part quite forcefully as she pulled the sweater over the black vest she usually wore to bed. The vehemence with which she'd denied the idea of her and Blaise only managed to make Ginny grin slyly.

"Sure Hermione." The redhead turned over in bed. "But have fun with him tonight." Hermione darted out of the room before she could hex Ginny for making assumptions.

The common room was empty (thank god) when she got down. The only sound that could be heard was the crackling of the fireplace and a slight tapping at the window. Hermione raced over to it and pushed it open; she was glad she'd thought to wear a sweater. The silver haired Slytherin hovering near the window was sans sweater, wearing a t-shirt. Hermione wondered if he was cold.

"Get on!" He commanded and Hermione just stared at him as though he'd spoken Greek to her. He made a small noise of impatience.

"How the hell are we both going to fit on that?!" She whisper-yelled and he smirked.

"It's a broom, Granger; it's made for that sort of thing."

"Made for it or not, I'm not getting on a broom with you." Malfoy looked slightly insulted, slightly smug. "I've seen the way you fly during quidditch, Malfoy. There is no way in hell."

"Don't be a baby Granger." He held a hand out for her and she shook her head fervently. "Come on, before someone comes out." Hermione grit her teeth and climbed onto the window seat, hating Malfoy. She still looked uncertain though. "Whatever happened to all that Gryffindor courage you had last night?"

"I had—" She climbed through the window with more agility than she thought she possessed. "…my own broom—" He managed to yank her up and out of the room, settling her before him. "…last night, for your information."

"Well this is the same concept." They were both safely on the broom then and Malfoy made a small circle to show her it was simply to ride with two people on one broom. She was holding on to his arms for dear life when she turned around, summoning up all her courage to keep her eyes open as they flew.

"Where are we going?"

"For now, the quidditch pitch." They approached it rather quickly and Hermione had shut her eyes the second he began to speed up so when they got to the center of the pitch, he had to tap her on her shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she saw them.

Padma Patil, Pansy Parkinson, Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott and Adrian Pucey all sat a large circle with small balls of light floating overhead casting an eerie glow over the group. They were laughing though and as Hermione watched, Adrian stood up, hopped awkwardly for a few seconds and collapsed into Padma's lap who giggled and shoved him off. Together, the group began to laugh again. Draco slipped his hand into Hermione's and ignoring the slightly unwelcome feeling of rightness that settled over him after this action, he pulled her towards them where they were still laughing gaily. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"I hope you lot aren't drinking again." Hermione stated as she sat down between Goyle and Draco sat with her next to Blaise. "Blaise was a mess this morning." There was a chorus of 'So was I' amidst the group.

"We don't drink that much," Pansy stated with a roll of her pretty blue eyes and Padma smacked her shoulder.

"You went through two bottles of fire whiskey last weekend, by yourself." Blaise burst into laughter and reached over to fist bump Padma as Pansy flushed red.

"That's what happened to those bottles I stashed in the common room." He laughed again with Adrian and Theo joined in.

"You should have seen her when she found it in the damned shelf." Padma continued as Pansy tried to block her mouth with her hand.

"The strength of that locking charm should have kept her away." Blaise continued. "I'm surprised and impressed, Parkinson." Hermione tried to hide her confusion as they continued bickering good-naturedly.

"She was so desperate, she practically yelled _Alohomora_." Padma laughed. "I'm afraid to say she frightened some of your first years."

"Did not!" Pansy tried to protest with an annoyed look on her face but neither Padma nor Blaise was going to let her off that easily.

"I'm pretty sure Salazar's portrait scowled at you." Hermione chose this moment to vocalize her confusion, curiosity outweighing politeness. The rest of the group— Draco included—were still laughing at Padma's joke when she spoke up.

"Wait, you've been in the Slytherin common room, Padma?" Pansy hesitated before nodding after an imploring look by the girl in question.

"I've snuck her in once or twice." Pansy explained with a smile that made Hermione blush though she didn't know why. "You can't tell anyone though, Granger. Not even the wonder wussies." Hermione bristled at the insult.

"I wouldn't tell anyone." She reaffirmed and Pansy shrugged while Padma smiled. "And anyway, I don't see who would care."

"You'd be surprised." Draco muttered under his breath and there was a short beat of awkward silence which was broken by Blaise and Padma jumping up and running off.

"Oh no." Goyle exclaimed, putting his hands over his face and lying down on the grass nonverbally sealing his fate.

"Shit." Theo exclaimed and as though this was a signal, he and Pansy stood up next and took off in the direction Blaise and Padma had gone. Hermione frowned at Draco but he didn't even return her look because he grabbed Hermione, pulled her up and off in the same direction. Adrian who was left behind shouted quite loudly at them:

"I hate this stupid game!" Hermione turned around in time to see all the little floating light balls dim and Filch racing towards the two boys who stayed. She turned forward just as Filch caught sight of them and buried her face in Draco's shirt. They did not stop running until they got to the forest.

Draco and Hermione caught up with Padma and Pansy first who were simply strolling along talking about Occulemency of all things.

"You left Pucey and Goyle?" Pansy asked and laughed making Padma shoot her a scolding look that made Hermione smile. She took a step in the direction from which Draco and Hermione came.

"Are they ok?" She questioned. "I think it's Goyle's first time." She continued and Pansy stopped laughing at the tone in Padma's voice, looking at the black haired girl with an unreadable expression on her face.

"They'll be fine." She assured the black haired girl with a pat on her arm. That's why this whole thing is a good idea. It's Pucey's second time, so the punishment won't be as bad."

"So you just run off and—"

"The last two people stay and take the punishment." Draco continued and Hermione turned back to Pansy but found that the two girls had disappeared.

"That is an awful game."

"Thank you." Hermione smacked his shoulder lightly. "Gods, Granger, not even a day into friendship and the abuse has already begun." Hermione blushed.

"I wasn't even aware you were serious about that…" She trailed off and Draco frowned. He wanted a lot more than to just be her friend, in fact, he wanted…

Without warning, Draco grabbed both of Hermione's hands and gently led her to a tree. He leaned towards her ever so slowly and paused, just before his lips touched hers. She met his eyes.

"Well, Draco, what are you waiting for?" Her voice was low and husky and seductive and taking that as permission, he kissed her, softly at first but harder and more passionately as she responded in kind. Their tongues melded together as he explored the insides of her mouth and he felt himself sigh as she began to do the same. He felt lighter than air as she brought her hands to the nape of his neck and pulled him even closer until his body was flush against hers. She moaned, he moaned and with a soft snapping sound, Draco was pulled out of his _very_ delicious fantasy.

"Godric, Draco, you are the worst friend." Hermione's hands were on her hips as she stared at him, a small smile on her lips. "You're not even listening to me."

"I am!"

"Oh, really, then what was I saying?" She had him there and he grimaced. "My point exactly." She threw him a victorious smile. " _I was saying_ that if we really are to become friends then maybe we could ease into it, publicly."

"I'm listening…"

"Be my partner in potions." Draco raised an eyebrow. "Snape already partnered us up for that Mutation potion but next class we're going to be making Draught of Living Death."

"You want to be my partner in Potions…" Draco sounded as incredulous as he felt and Hermione nodded feeling her heartbeat quickened as the random idea began to appeal to her more and more. It would be fun, now that she was seeing a different side of him. He really was changing— "You are barking mad, Granger. There's no way in hell." There was an odd expression on Draco's face as he turned around and Hermione felt her face crumple. She was hoping that this could have been a nice first step but… She stopped.

"Well alright then Malfoy." He turned back to her, the fleeting odd expression gone. Hermione wrung her hands together and bit her lip. "I guess that concludes our evening."

"Granger wait…"

"What difference does it make, Malfoy?" She asked harshly, feeling bitter tears prick the back of her eyelids. Damn her for crying. She took a step towards him. "We aren't going to attempt to be friends so what does it matter if I leave now?" Her voice rose. "Or were you expecting to snog me against some tree and send me off on my merry way like any other of your rotten slags?" Draco stepped towards her almost automatically and she stepped back. " _What were you hoping to accomplish here?!_ "

"I wanted—" He stopped, not even knowing how to continue. "I wanted to be your friend Granger but…"

"But in the end I'll always just be a _mudblood_ , right Malfoy?" The word burnt like acid on her tongue and he flinched. "Never quite measuring up to you and your pure blooded clique." Hermione turned away from him.

"Granger…"

"Don't bother, Malfoy." She steeled herself. "This, whatever it is, it's over." Draco took an involuntary step back, wanting to say something, anything.

"Granger please…"

"Don't, Draco." Her voice was barely audible, made even worse by a plethora of unshed tears and insults hovering on the tip of her tongue. _Don't cry, just walk away_. "Just don't." She took off through the trees towards the whomping willow and Draco stared after her until the dim light from her wand had all but vanished.

"You are a heartless twat, Malfoy." Theodore Nott spat as he ran past Draco towards Hermione. Draco was left shuddering in his shoes. _What the hell had he just done?_


	6. Chapter 6

**You can tell I've had issues with writing this chapter by how many in story dividers there are. Now full disclosure, I have no excuses for how long it's been. I had planned to update this fic weekly and before I knew it, two weeks went by. I am soooo sorry, truly I am. This chapter is a little longer to make up for it.**

 **Disclaimer: While waiting for my grades to finally come out, I finally arrive to the conclusion- I wish I owned Harry Potter. That way, I could just chillax instead of fretting about my GPA. Either way, I don't own it, so fret I will.**

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"Don't bother apologizing for him, Nott!" Hermione yelled and Theodore grabbed her shoulder and whirled her around.

"I wasn't going to." Hermione relaxed at the sincerity in his voice, her eyes softening. Her encounter with Draco had hurt but she didn't intend for it to make her bitter. "And you can call me Theodore."

"That's a mouthful." Theo laughed before he could stop himself and she smirked at that one unguarded moment. "Middle name?"

"I have one, but you won't like it." Hermione gave him a look that said: Try me. "It was my great grandfather's name on my mom's side. Reginald."

"Theo it is." He grinned. "It's either that or Reginald the Douche." He laughed again. "I mean, it is a very Douchey name."

"Reginald the Douche." His smile was amused. "Padma calls me that sometimes." She grinned right back. "She's half-blood so she appreciates a good nickname." Theo walked with her back to the school grounds. "You know, Malfoy isn't always a dick." She gave him a warning look. "He has his moments."

"I happened to see one or two of them," Hermione answered truthfully, stopping where the grass met the concrete so Theo could take off his dress shoes. He padded on socked feet to the castle. "It doesn't matter though, because he was a dick when it mattered." She winced on the word 'dick' and Theo smirked.

"Maybe you shouldn't cut all ties with him because of one mistake."

"Why are you championing Draco and I all of a sudden, Theo?" Hermione muttered harshly. "I thought you were all for the pure-blood shite."

"Pure-blood shite is irrelevant with my father in Azkaban and my mother dead." Hermione's snarky response died in her throat. "And besides, I'm best friends with Padma Patil, a half blood; and here I am talking to Hermione Granger, a muggle born." Hermione bit her lip. "Maybe blood status doesn't matter considering Vincent Crabbe, a pure blood is as dumb as door nails and a muggle born like you is the smartest witch in this school."

"So Slytherin is changing." Theo nodded immediately as they got to the entrance hall where they would part ways.

"Most of our parents were either death eaters or slaughtered for being blood traitors." Hermione shivered. "Can you blame us?" With a parting look, he turned on his heel and marched through the corridor that led to the dungeons.

* * *

Hermione had never been more conflicted as she walked into the Great Hall the next morning for breakfast. Draco was seated in his usual spot by the wall, staring into his bowl of porridge unseeing. She moved slowly through the masses settling at her own spot next to Harry and Ginny. Ron and Lavender were absent though she didn't quite care. They never noticed her anyway. She wanted to sit with him the way Blaise had with her the morning before because she could see in his eyes that he was repentant but when Harry smiled at her, she lost her nerve and pulled out a chair for herself at the place she wanted to be least.

Blaise strolled in a few minutes after she sat down and winked at her as he passed. Eyes moved from him to her as he walked to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Draco who barely nodded at him. Hermione smiled as she put two croissants on her plate and poured herself some orange juice. Adrian Pucey walked in next, followed by Goyle and they both joined the Slytherins. Adrian smiled at her though and whispers started up. The final people to enter were Crabbe and Theo. Hermione grinned at Theo and he grinned back, walking to the Gryffindor table. Harry looked up as he approached and frowned when he slid Hermione a slip of paper. She tucked it into her shirt pocket and resumed eating as Theo walked to his usual table. She could hear most of the Gryffindor fifth and sixth years whispers.

 _"Maybe he got her pregnant."_ A girl with dirty blonde hair murmured to her friend as she tried to catch Hermione's eye and grin.

 _"She's first in her year. She wouldn't be stupid enough to get pregnant while she's still in school, Eden."_

"Befriending the Golden Trio, are we?" Harry murmured, elbowing her in the side. "First Zabini now Nott…" He trailed off as he caught Ginny gazing at him and lowered his voice. "Who's next? Malfoy?" Hermione wanted to defend her blonde haired acquaintance but she couldn't find the strength.

"You can't tell me who to be friends with Harry." She countered and he looked as though he was surprised she'd spoken. "After everything that happened, you can't tell me being friends with Draco Malfoy would be the worst thing to happen."

"Ron would pitch a fit."

"Ron is dating a slag." She replied but Harry threw her a dubious look. She backtracked. "And Ron missed his chance with me years ago after the Yule Ball." Harry rolled his eyes and Hermione's eyes drifted to where Draco was in the process of vanishing his porridge. She frowned.

"Are you trying to tell me that you might become friends with Malfoy?"

"I'm trying to get you used to the idea." She chanced and she was glad he didn't explode in her face. "I had breakfast with Blaise Zabini yesterday…"

"And today, Adrian Pucey is smiling at you and Theodore Nott is passing you love notes." He interrupted without missing a beat. She frowned, analyzing both what he was saying and what he wasn't.

"None of them are as bad as you obviously think they are," She stared at him as his brow furrowed then smoothed, his features forming itself into a smile. "They're changing, Harry. Truly, they are."

"If you say they are, Hermione, then I believe you." She smiled. "If you do decide to befriend Malfoy, then I need multiple heads ups, please."

"Deal."

* * *

 _Granger,_

 _Malfoy denied so I'm accepting even though you didn't ask. How Douchey is that? Either way, I'll be your Potions partner until Malfoy gets is balls in line._

 _Say yes? Even though I'm not asking._

 _-Reginald the Douche_

Hermione folded the letter into her Potions textbook along with the one from Draco from the night before and pulled out a piece of parchment and her auto-ink quill from her satchel. She wished, somewhere deep in her mind that it was Draco asking her to be his Potions partner, because no matter how he'd acted the night before, she honestly didn't blame him for having reservations about starting a tentative friendship with her. Nevertheless, the idea of Theo Nott as a partner intrigued her. Ron and Harry always worked with each other and Snape usually paired her off with Draco so it would be nice to have a change.

 _Dear old Reg,_

 _I am saying yes to the question you're not asking because I am desperately in need of a potions partner whose balls are very in line._

 _Thank you for asking. It means a lot to me._

 _-Granger, the girl with a first name_

She folded it and tied it to Bubo Bubo's leg, the only owl besides Hedwig and Pigwidgeon that she recognized. It hooted happily and nipped her ear affectionately.

"I missed you too," She stroked its feathers as she tied the note to its claws. "Can you take this to Theodore Nott? I think he might still be in the Great Hall." Bubo Bubo hooted again and took off. She gave a mammoth sigh and stuffed her text book and quill into her bag.

* * *

Theodore Nott sipped his tea and tried to tune out Gregory Goyle arguing with Adrian Pucey about Victor Krum who was thinking of trading himself to the Karasjok Kites of Norway. Draco was uncharacteristically staring into space, probably thinking of Granger and what an arse hole he'd been to her the night before. Since it was Sunday morning and meals on Sunday were a freelance proposition, the hall was still filled with students, chatting as the morning wore on. He could see Padma and Pansy smiling at each other and Blaise grinning over at the other Patil twin, Parvati. She and Theo had met up behind the Herbology greenhouses the day before, but much to his annoyance, she was nowhere near as opinionated and dry witted as her sister. He'd hightailed it away from her the first chance he got but Blaise, who didn't quite care about brains wouldn't mind as much as he had.

Flapping of wings surprised everyone at the Slytherin table as Malfoy's magnificent eagle owl swooped down and stopped not in front of Draco, but in front of Theo. He untied the note and thanked the owl who made its way over to its owner.

He read his note hastily and grinned, much to the amusement of every one of the boys at his table. Crabbe was the first to comment.

"Ah 'ope it's good news, Nott." He gulped down pumpkin juice and a bit dribbled down his chin. "Maybe a reply from Granger?" Draco eyes snapped to his and he smirked.

"Maybe it was, Crabbe." Theo replied loftily. "I don't see what it has to do with you anyway." Draco paled when he saw how Theo was avoiding his eyes. He was doing it deliberately to raise suspicion and maybe cause some action, but Draco didn't know that.

"Wha' is all o' yeh's fascination wit' the mudblood anyway?" Draco moved so fast, Crabbe never saw him coming. He had his wand up to Crabbe's throat in seconds, breathing heavily. The few teachers on the dais, Flitwick, Sinistra and Trelawney, froze.

"What was that Crabbe?" Draco's voice was deadly quiet, barely audible but heard clearly since the entire Great Hall came to a standstill. "What did you call her?"

"Draco, it's not important." Theo's voice was pleading but even Blaise, who was usually a pacifist, shook his head.

"It bloody is, Theodore." Draco spat. "It's disrespectful considering where all of our fathers are at this very moment." Theodore turned ashen as Blaise cleared his throat.

"Nott, Draco is right. Crabbe shouldn't have said it." The dark skinned boy stood up and walked to Draco's side. Pansy stood too, and as though they were connected magnetically, Padma stood up to and rushed to the Slytherin table much to the fascination of all the students in the Great Hall.

" _Maybe Padma's pregnant and Granger's the only girl who knows…"_ The same Gryffindor girl suggested and the friend who had reprimanded her rolled her eyes. Padma would have to if she'd been close enough to hear but at present, she was preoccupied trying to calm Draco down.

"Guys, there's no need to make a scene, alright?" She whispered so no one else could hear. She'd already blown their well thought out cover by coming over in the first place, but the thought of Pansy being caught in the boy's stupid crossfire was too scary. Flitwick had already begun climbing down the dais. "Just apologize, Crabbe and swear you won't say it again."

"This is righ' ridiculous, it is." Crabbe protested and Draco's wand dug deeper into his Adam's apple. "Fine, Malfoy;" Flitwick reached their table.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr. Malfoy, and Mr. Crabbe?" He demanded in his shrill voice. It usually made Draco want to snicker, but this time, he did not crack a smile.

"Just waiting on an apology, sir," Blaise replied easily and the professor's frown smoothed out. "Crabbe?" His voice was harsh.

"Fine. Sorry." Crabbe muttered sullenly and Draco was about to lower his wand but Pansy and Padma's simultaneous voices stopped him.

"Like you mean it." He repeated it softly, less sullen and Draco smirked. Blaise and Theo looked at him curiously as he left the table. Crabbe sat back down, shaken and sipped out of his goblet. All this for Granger. He didn't understand what it was about her that made them all lose their minds.

* * *

"I don't suppose you'd mind telling me where the Slytherin dungeons are?" Hermione asked politely and the man she'd spoken to looked down his nose at her.

"I most certainly would mind." His voice was deep and drawling. "You are not a Slytherin, why on earth would you care?"

"I wanted to apologize to someone there." She replied, stung. "How do you know I'm not a Slytherin?" The man sneered.

"It's obvious isn't it?"

"Don't be a prat, Alfred!" A woman from across the corridor snapped and the man's sneer was wiped off his face. "I'm terribly sorry dear, Alfred is new." Hermione sighed. "The dungeons are behind the tapestry a little ways lower down the fifth potions classroom."

"Oh thank you!"

"I don't know the password, though sweetheart." Hermione smiled nonetheless and the woman smiled back.

"It's quite alright," She took off towards the dungeons, careful to walk at a measured pace so she didn't attract any unwanted attention.

As usual, the dungeons, which was under the Black Lake, was near freezing. She stood before the tapestry and sighed.

"I don't suppose it's 'Pureblood' is it?" When nothing happened she frowned, not having the faintest clue what it could be. She heard a snicker and lifted the thick cloth to find a one eyed witch leering down at her. She shivered.

"That's not even close!" The witch cackled in laughter and Hermione wished she could hex the stupid portrait.

"Can you give me a hint?"

"I most certainly cannot."

"Is it Salazar?" The witch shook her head. "Slytherin Pride?" Another shake of the head. "Avada Kedavra?" Her voice had taken on a note of desperation. "Cruciatus?"

"Do you really think that lowly of us?" A voice spoke behind her and she jumped, whirled around and came face to face with Draco Malfoy. Her heart beat sped up.

"What is it then?"

"What would you have done if you'd guessed the password correctly?" He asked in a soft voice and she balked. She had definitely not thought her plan all the way through.

"Well I'm not entirely sure…" Draco shook his head.

"You Gryffindors." He managed to make it sound like an insult. "Jumping headfirst into situations you know nothing about."

"I was willing to, so I could talk to you."

"And what was so pressing that you couldn't accost me in the Great Hall." He leaned on the wall and gave her an appraising look. "Or is that too public for you." His voice was excessively snarky and she narrowed her eyes.

"Don't act like I wasn't fully prepared to make our friendship public, Malfoy." His breath hitched.

"Oh, so it's back to Malfoy, is it?" Hermione took a step back, biting her lip. "Well then, _Granger_ I tried to apologize for last night!" His voice rose in the heat of the moment. "You ran away!"

"You made it sound like I was some kind of homeless woman grabbing your robes on the street!" Hermione was never one to back down. "Should I have waited for you to kick me before I had the good sense to run away?"

"I wasn't going to—"

"From the way you acted I wouldn't have been surprised if you had!" Her voice was beginning to lower and she began to relax, realizing it made no difference whether or not she yelled.

"Salazar's sake!" Blaise Zabini lifted the tapestry and glared at the two young adults. "Some people are trying to have a relaxing Sunday afternoon." Hermione smiled wryly at him. "Malfoy, just apologize. Theo told me you were a right git to her and if you don't apologize, it will be awkward when we inevitably choose her over you."

"That's what I was trying to do!" Draco tried to interject but Blaise lifted his hand and the blonde boy was silent. "Fine. Granger, I'm sorry I declined being your potions partner."

"Thank you, Draco, you're forgiven." Blaise grinned and held a hand out to her. "I swear I've been trying to sneak in here since brunch. What's happening in the self-proclaimed cool house?"

"Padma's has us playing a muggle game." Hermione's eyebrows shot into her hairline. "It's called Trivial Pursuit, do you know it?" Hermione grinned. It was one of her favorite games.

"I do know it and I'd love to play." She glanced at Draco with a look worthy of one of the haughtiest Slytherins and stepped into the room. Draco stared after her, looking recalcitrant.

"You might want to stop picking fights with her if she's ever going to..." Draco scowled at Blaise who smirked at him.

"Going to what?"

"Like you back." Blaise grinned and closed the portrait hole, leaving Draco in the freezing cold corridor. Granger had made all sorts of ridiculous guesses so it made him smile when he lifted the tapestry to say the password.

" _Firebolt"_


	7. Chapter 7

In all honesty, the divination classroom and the new divination teacher gave Draco an ill feeling in the pit of his stomach. Despite being a part of the school and mere seconds away from solid concrete floors, as soon as one stepped through the threshold, it was like being transported into a miniature forest with grass and moss on the ground, trees strewn about, and their branches forming a sort of roof with boulders against their trunks. Small deer and even some spiders skidded across the floor as he walked in. Amidst the branches and leaves, the roof above was bewitched to look like the night sky, even though it was eleven am. The teacher, a centaur called Firenze looked down and sighed.

"I will admit, young Draco, I did not expect you to come." Firenze began with a serious look on his face. He walked (trotted?) to a small grass covered table in one corner of the room.

"I said I would, didn't I?"

"Yes, we all know about Malfoys and their word." The beast muttered wryly making Draco scoff. With a small smile, Firenze picked up something wrapped in tissue on the table, picked it up and threw it to Draco who caught it gently. He opened the small bundle to take a peek, biting his lip when he saw what was inside.

"This gift, Draco Malfoy, is not to be used for dark purposes." The blonde haired boy rolled his eyes. "You must treasure it for all your days."

"I will." Firenze turned away from him, lifting his head to the make-shift sky with an almost serene look on his face. Draco, taking that as a signal that his company was no longer welcome, turned around, not even hesitating before leaving the strange classroom.

He'd arranged to meet with Granger in the Charms classroom before lunch and that was where he went, trying not to run like a bat out of hell in his eagerness to get there. Granger had spent a good portion of Sunday afternoon in the Slytherin dorm playing a muggle game Padma was obsessed with, choosing when they were done to play Gobstones and then a round or five of Exploding Snap. Since the muggleborn had never quite gotten the hang of either of the wizard games, Blaise had taken his time to help her master Exploding Snap and Pansy was scheduled to teach both her and Padma how to play Gobstones. She'd left for her dorm just in time to change for dinner and he never had a chance to talk to her alone after that.

He watched as she slipped into the classroom a few minutes after him making him smile a slow, lazy, smug smile.

"You came." She brushed a lock of her hair back, grinning and looking more relaxed than he'd ever seen her. "I trust you had a good weekend?"

"A splendid Friday night, glorious Saturday morning…" She smiled. "It was downhill from there till Sunday afternoon."

"Salazar, Granger, a simple yes or no would have sufficed." Hermione rolled her eyes. "I didn't ask for your whole life's story." They smiled at each other, Hermione's genuine and honest, Draco's smug.

"Come off it, Draco. Why'd you call me in here?" He pulled the package out of a pocket of his robes, holding it out to her expectantly. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion but opened it nonetheless, pulling out the two objects inside.

"Do you like it?" He asked; his voice was unsure as he gauged her expression. Her brows furrowed briefly as their eyes met and she bit her lip.

"What exactly are you trying to say with these, Draco?" Noting the bizarre mixture of confusion and terror in her eyes he belatedly realized what she might have thought.

"Fuck, Granger!" She bit her lip. "No, no, no, no!" Draco exhaled sharply and Hermione relaxed immediately. "These… have runes etched into the side." He held up one of the beautiful rings to the light so Hermione could see and when she did, she relaxed further. They looked like two interlocking 'M's

"Oh!"

"It's the rune for mind telepathy and connection." He slipped the larger of the rings onto the thumb of his left hand. It shrunk to fit him perfectly. "When we wear it, we can talk to each other through a mind link." Hermione almost sagged with relief. "I figured we could use it until we're _both_ ready to ease into a public friendship." Draco held his breath, waiting for her to react.

"Well, I suppose we can try this…" She muttered, glancing at the rings again. They truly were beautiful. They were both silver, designed as two interlocking feathers on a small silver band where the runes were engraved. "I don't see why not."

Draco wanted to grin, but instead he shrugged and another smug smile made its way to his face. Hermione shook her head. He produced a silver chain from another pocket.

"Good." A few third years could be heard as they ran past the doorway and they both turned around to make sure they weren't being interrupted. "It might be a little obvious if we're wearing matching rings so—"

"So you bought me a pretty necklace." Hermione smiled beguilingly. "Oh, it's awful nice, Draco, I bet all the other girls would swoon when they saw that _the_ Draco Malfoy bought me, tiny little Granger a necklace." Draco's eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at her little performance.

"You know…"

"Thank you, Malfoy." She began softly at the look on his face as she roped the ring onto the necklace and handed it to him. He made no move, just looked from her to the necklace. "Don't be dense, Draco, I need you to…" She swallowed. They had almost never been so close and now, she was willingly letting him touch her. Briefly, she wondered what Harry would think and almost smiled. He would be shocked. Draco cleared his throat and watched her lift her thick mass of wavy hair so her neck was exposed. He clipped the necklace on and sighed, his breath tickling the back of her neck. She inhaled slowly as she felt his hands linger on her shoulders, feeling her flesh ignite under his touch. It was heady, considering he was just grazing her shoulders and she wondered what it would be like if he lowered his hand to her…

Draco's right hand was replaced by the stiff wood of his wand as he muttered something under his breath. The door flew open and all Hermione could do was gasp as Harry walked in.

"Oh, Malfoy." Harry sounded a little disgruntled and both Draco and Hermione tried not to notice. Hermione stepped forward but so did Draco. They moved at the same time, so synchronized that it was like neither of them moved at all.

"Potter, what do you want?" Draco demanded making one of Harry's eyebrows raise. The blonde-haired boy's voice lacked its usual loathing and contempt and all three people in the room could tell. Draco grimaced.

"I was actually looking for Hermione." Harry replied easily and Draco turned around to give the now invisible girl a smirk. "She said she'd be in the Charms classroom before lunch."

"She was here just a little while ago, Potter." Hermione wanted to smack him. "But she left." Draco shrugged. "I don't know if she's coming back."

"Alright… I guess." Hermione swallowed. The small conversation was awkward to say the least. Draco was trying to be semi civil to Harry because Hermione was there and Harry was being semi civil because Draco was. It was quite a sight to behold. "See you around, Malfoy." Harry turned to leave, but not before frowning at a spot just behind Draco. Hermione took another step back instinctively. "If you see her, can you tell her that I need to talk to her?" Draco almost said ok but stopped himself when Hermione grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"Deliver your messages to your girlfriend on your own time, Potter." He held on to Hermione's invisible hand and jetted out of the room before Harry could utter another word.

They were alone in the Transfiguration corridor because everyone had gone to lunch. Hermione's disillusionment charm had begun to fade from her fingers first so it was a ghastly effect when Draco whipped out his wand.

"Finite Incantatem."

"Jesus, Draco!"

"Who?" Draco looked confused and Hermione burst into laughter, unable to hold it for a moment longer. Draco scowled.

"It's a muggle thing, a god." She answered between gasps of laughter. "How did you know Harry was coming?"

"I heard the footsteps." Hermione scoffed. "I have great hearing, Granger."

"Oh I'm so sure." Neither of them knew what to say next so Hermione just walked a few paces ahead of him, twirling the ring between her thumb and forefinger. Finally, a small smile broke across her features.

 _Malfoy?_ She heard his sharp intake of breath and her smile widened. _I'm assuming it works?_

 _It does._

 _Where did you get these?_ She and Draco separated as they got to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. They would both be in the Great Hall for lunch anyway.

 _The centaur that teaches Divination owed my mother a favor._ She could feel his smile. She wasn't sure how, but she could. _Now, he doesn't._

After making a quick stop at the library, Hermione walked into the Great Hall ten minutes late for lunch though Harry seemed to be the only person who noticed when she slipped into her usual seat.

"Where were you today?" He asked softly causing her to squirm. "I checked the Charms classroom where you said you'd be and Malfoy was there instead."

"Yeah Harry, about that…" She began. "This is heads up number one." She bit the inside of her cheek warily at his almost-frown.

"How did it start?" His voice was gentler than she was expecting. Their eyes met, hers rather reluctantly.

"Well…" She pondered whether to lie or tell the truth. She decided on a pseudo morphing of the two. "When Blaise and I had breakfast, we bumped into him on our way to the tree by the black lake and we exchanged greetings." She hesitated. "That is pretty much it."

"Hermione," Harry began.

 _Gods, you are the most atrocious liar._ Draco half whispered in her mind and she rolled her eyes, surprising Harry.

"Oh, piss off, you wanker." Harry gasped, Ginny gasped, Lavender and Ron who had just sat down gasped, Parvati and Seamus stared and Draco burst into laughter from across the room. Hermione flushed a deep shade of red and Harry frowned.

"I was only asking…" Harry began sounding defensive. "And look, if being friends with him makes you so quick to—"

"Harry, stop, please." The brunette quickly took stock of the amount of students eavesdropping on her and Harry's conversation and leaned closer to him. "Can we just go somewhere more private?"

"Alright." They stood up together and he led her out of the Great Hall and into an alcove just outside of the entrance.

 _Who knew Granger the Omnipotent could slip up. Fascinating._ Hermione's eyes rolled skyward as though searching for divine intervention. _I can feel you asking the heavens to cause me to spontaneously combust._

 _Won't you, Malfoy? Make my day and burst into flames like a Phoenix._ Draco snickered. She wondered what the Slytherins at his table thought of that.

 _I was never one to grant wishes. You have to do an awful lot of rubbing for that._ Hermione flushed and focused on Harry, pushing Draco and his annoyingly perverted mind from hers.

"Were you in the Charms room with him, Hermione?" Harry's voice was earnest. "You can tell me if you were,"

"Harry—"

"Snape turned out to be Dumbledore's man, Scabior is helping the Ministry round up other death eaters, Dolores Umbridge turned herself in… The world is changing. I would understand if Draco is changing." Tears sprung to Hermione's eyes.

"I bumped into him there, yes." This, technically, wasn't a lie. "I left to go to the Library though." This was also not exactly a lie.

"Alright." Harry nodded. "Well if anyone can pull Draco back from being a pompous git, it's you, Hermione." Hermione felt Draco's amusement at Harry's words. The raven haired boy kissed her cheek and for a brief moment, Hermione felt a rush of unadulterated adoration for Harry and how accepting he'd been of what she was doing. In the back of her mind, or maybe Draco's, she knew that Ron would have bit her head off and fed it to Fluffy, Hagrid's three headed dog.

She and Harry walked back into the Great Hall and ducked back into their seats. Hermione dipped her fork into her fruit bowl.

 _Some girl at the Hufflepuff table just observed that you and Potter don't look like you snogged._ Draco was smiling. Hermione was less amused.

 _Damn rumor mill. I swear if anyone asks about me and Harry I'll hex them._

 _They've all probably been waiting for that to happen._ Draco observed and Hermione rolled her eyes. _Hoping poor little Ginger would break The-Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Die's heart._

 _Her name is Ginny._ Hermione smiled and Ginny was giving her an odd look but she didn't see. _I don't think she'd appreciate the nickname._

 _Of course she'd appreciate it. I would be the one giving it to her._ Hermione bit her lip and continued to eat. She actually looked forward to her first potions class with Theo as her partner. It would be cut short because of the Slytherin-Ravenclaw quidditch match but it was likely to shock everyone. Hermione smiled into her bowl. It was going to be a fascinating afternoon.

Pansy Parkinson would scream if the damn rumors didn't stop circulating. All over the Great Hall many people of various houses were carrying on a conversation that centered around Hermione Granger and her sex life. Something Pansy Parkinson had never been interested in.

" _Wait, I thought Padma was pregnant…"_ A girl at the Hufflepuff table protested in the conversation going on in whispers around her.

" _She isn't. That was just a rumor."_ Her friend answered. _"Everyone thinks Granger is pregnant now."_

" _She is!"_ Hannah Abbott insisted, spilling her grapefruit juice in her excitement. _"And she doesn't know who the father is."_ The blonde girl rolled her eyes. _"It's obvious she's narrowed it down to Harry, Theodore or Blaise."_

" _So what is it called then?"_ A boy at the Ravenclaw table asked Cho Chang who frowned. _"A love quadrilateral?"_

" _A love Pentagon if Ron Weasely is included."_ Their friend replied and Cho shook her head defiantly.

" _I know Hermione Granger. She wouldn't be leading Blaise Zabini, Theo Nott and Harry Potter on."_ A brunette at the Hufflepuff table swiveled around on the bench.

" _The war changed everyone, Cho."_ She stated, standing up. _"None of us know what Hermione Granger is capable of now."_ Cho's mouth flattened into a thin line. _"I mean have you seen Marietta Edgecombe's face lately?"_

Everyone's heads swiveled around to stare at the Ravenclaw, eating her pork roast, oblivious to the whispers. The red boils were now faded to her skin color but still evident. There upon her forehead, SNEAK was spelt in bold letters like Hermione's confession.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thank you to all who have reviewed and Happy New Year (And yes, I know we're in February) The last chapter was uploaded some days ago and this one being uploaded so soon is like an apology for the fact that it has been more than a month. So… Sorry. Much much love goes to a reviewer who's been my favorite part of writing this fic: Hannable-13**

 **On a side note: Read and Review. It makes the world go round.**

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 **Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If it's not obvious by now, I'm not really sure what to tell you. I would however love to own Tom Felton. Anyone have his number? ;)**

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Harry tried not to stare as the rest of the class was doing. He really was trying but it seemed almost impossible because as he glanced over again, Hermione threw her head back and laughed. All eyes flew to Snape whose shoulders stiffened but knowing she was sitting with one of the Slytherin princes meant he didn't even look at the bushy haired brunette and her black haired partner. They paused in their chatting so Nott could add a small bit of crushed fly wings.

"Ok, so now we let it simmer for forty three seconds and add the…" Hermione produced a container from her side of the potion supplies.

"Sloth Brain." She slid it across and he caught it deftly. "How many people do you think are staring at us right now?" Theo cast a roving eye across the room.

"Everyone except Vincent and Millicent." He stifled a chuckle. "They're staring into each other's eyes." Hermione gasped.

"No!" She whirled around to see that Crabbe was actually asleep while Millicent was scribbling on a piece of parchment. She also noticed that many heads had turned in other directions when she turned around. "Godric's sake, Reg." She laughed again. "Sloth brain." As soon as she said it, he dumped the content of the container into the cauldron and stirred it counter clockwise four times.

"Now it sits for five minutes." He used his wand to extinguish the fire. Hermione sighed. It was easy having Theo as her partner. She didn't have to do all the work like with Ron, or constantly keep an eye on him like with Harry, or bicker incessantly like with Draco. As soon as she thought his name, she felt his eyes on her.

 _Everything ok?_

 _Yes Draco, everything is fine. I was just comparing you to my new and improved potions partner._ She didn't even have to turn around to know he was scowling.

 _Yes, brilliant idea by the both of you, but there's only one flaw._

 _And what's that?_

 _I'm not jealous. Malfoys do not get jealous._ Hermione smirked and sent all the amusement she was feeling to him.

"You alright Granger?" Theo asked and she inhaled sharply. She had completely forgotten he was there. Hermione flushed.

"I'm fine Theo." She exhaled. "Just a little errant thought." Their potion had already turned the desired color and she stood up to ladle a bit of it into a vial. Theo magicked their names on the bottle and they both brought it up to a waiting Snape who only nodded. They walked back to the desk as all the other students began gathering up their supplies.

"Will you sit with us during the match?" Hermione shook her head. She didn't really like admitting that she hated quidditch so instead; she informed him that she planned to use the extra hour to brush up on Arithmancy. "Spoilsport."

"Thank you Nott." They left the class together and made their way to the library. Ms. Pince smiled at her when she walked in and Theo said goodbye. She fingered the ring that hung around her neck.

 _Malfoy?_ It took a while and when he answered she felt everything he was feeling in that moment. Trepidation and excitement and just a little bit of fear.

 _Yes, Granger?_

 _Are you ready for the game?_

 _As I'll ever be._ The tone of his thoughts was smug and self-assured. She rolled her eyes as she settled at a table, opening her huge Tome of _Potions Magnifique_. She fingered through the pages, making notes as she went along and listening to Malfoy's rapidly moving thoughts as he answered questions from the team and discussed strategies. _Going out now._

His mood changed with his words. She could now feel unbridled happiness, excitement and still just a bit of fear. She felt his bliss when he went into the air and could tell he was smiling.

 _Be safe._ He felt amusement first at the whispered thought and then solemnity as he acknowledged that he would. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Hermione Granger was falling in love and she didn't even realize it.

She continued working, shifting from potions to Arithmancy after about ten minutes. Her parchment was half full of notes when she stopped. She wasn't sure at what point she decided to go to the game but she was packing up her books before she could change her mind. The brunette smiled at Mrs. Pince and left the library, leaving her books in the students lounge under a disillusionment charm. The pitch had just become visible when the crowds became more raucous. One of the seekers must have seen the snitch. She rooted for Draco in her mind and smiled when he took notice of her support. She reached the grass and looked up as the crowd simultaneously gasped.

She saw it in slow motion. Cho Chang dove harshly in the air to intercept Draco's path to the elusive snitch. Her Comet was angled towards the path in front of him not taking into account how fast his Firebolt was. By the time she reached him, she ended up not in his path but hitting him in the side. It was hard, and everyone could tell when Draco jerked forward, lost his balance and began plummeting to the ground, his broom flying out of his grasp.

Hermione held her breath as the game paused as everyone watched. The broom, with no one to control it hit the ground and broke in a flash. It was scary to imagine what would happen to Draco if he hit the ground too. Hermione raised her wand at the same time as Padma Patil and Padma casted a haphazard _impedimenta_ and it made a slight difference. When he was a little closer to the ground but still increasing in speed, Hermione's strangled scream could be heard across the suddenly deathly silent quidditch field.

"Arresto momentum!" Draco halted mid fall, and landed gracefully on his feet with a relieved look on his face. His teammates landed around him but his eyes were on one person and one person only. Before he could be bombarded with questions, he ran towards her and stopped a few feet away.

"Granger." Her name was a caress coming from his lips. Her hair was ruffled by the wind and flying in all sorts of radical directions, her shoulders rose and fell quickly from her panting, her cheeks were flushed, her lips were parted to facilitate her rapid breathing and her eyes were wild with concern and fear.

Draco Malfoy was falling in love and he was only dimly aware of it.

"It's only Tuesday and I've saved your life, Malfoy." Her voice was strong despite the look on her face. "What part of 'be safe' wasn't clear?"

"It wasn't my fault!" He protested but a smile played on his lip. "Why on earth aren't you yelling at Cho Chang?"

"Because I don't care about Cho Chang, she's the slag who played with Harry's feelings!"

"And you care about me?"

"You are throwing that word around a lot, aren't you Hermione." Harry's voice interrupted and Hermione froze.

"And what word would that be, Potter?" Draco spun around to face The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Annoy-Him. He was irritated at being interrupted.

"He wasn't bloody talking to you, Malfoy." Ron, who was at Harry's side, spoke roughly. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Harry…" She pleaded and saw him nod and turn to Ron. They exchanged a few furious whispers and Ron threw Draco a look that was filled with hatred before lumbering back to the school. The Slytherins jeered at him as he passed by but he didn't respond and all attention went back to Harry, Draco and Hermione.

"Cho Chang isn't a slag you know," Even amidst the bizarre situation, Harry still smiled jokingly. "I'm sure her hitting Draco was just an accident."

"Please don't talk about me like I'm not standing right here." The platinum blonde interrupted with a look of boredom painted on his face.

"Did you just say please, Malfoy?" Harry teased again. "Maybe Hermione is changing you. I never thought I'd see the day."

"And you never will again." Draco answered without missing a beat. "Get on with it, Granger. Reprimand me, spank me and let this peculiar interaction be over and done with before we all end up on the front page of Teen Witch Weekly."

"Are you asking me to spank you?" A small smile played on Hermione's lips and the tension around them was suddenly palpable.

"Only if you're so inclined." Hermione groaned and smiled at the same time, Harry looked beyond uncomfortable and Mrs. Hooch looked just about ready to commit a murder.

"Thank you for the show, sixth years." She called out. "Malfoy, the snitch if you will." Draco grinned and produced one snitch, its wings fluttering uselessly against his fingers. An almighty cheer went out amongst the Slytherins and Cho deflated immediately.

Instead of giving the snitch to the teacher though, he held it out to Hermione who flushed deeply and prettily as she took it from him.

"Thank you."

"It's the least I could do…"

"Oh I'm sure it wasn't the least you could do." Her voice was laced with irony and sarcasm, making him laugh loudly. Mrs. Hooch, finally satisfied, walked off the field. The Ravenclaw team followed and finally just the Slytherins were left, still cheering and laughing amongst themselves.

It was a happy time and without even hesitating, Theo, Blaise, Goyle and Draco led Hermione away from Harry who didn't look as angry as much as just confused. Hermione seemed more than comfortable with the Slytherin team, even making idle chit chat with Gregory Goyle and Pansy Parkinson. It was a odd sight indeed and with all of them on his mind, he left the field and went to talk Ron down after the scolding he'd given him for yelling at Malfoy first.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Stop asking.**

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Potion's Classroom, 3:30PM

Theo had just placed the jar of fly wings on the table when a huge ethereal eagle swooped into the room and glided to Snape. He stood stock still as it surrounded him and when it left, he sighed.

"Class, Headmistress McGonagall has requested my presence. Since I don't trust any of you to remain in this classroom unattended, you will all go back to your common rooms and wait for dinner. Feel free to use this time to study." He chanced a side-along glance at Neville who bit his lip but never broke eye contact. "Some of you need it." The class filed out after packing their bags and while Hermione packed her books up, both she and Theo noticed Ron eying her. She'd shivered and contemplated asking him to hang back with her but changed her mind at the last second. He whispered that they were going to the library before following Blaise out of the room.

 _You ok?_ Draco questioned telepathically and she shook her head. He finally realized that Ron was looking at her strangely. _Do you want me to stay?_ She shook her head again.

 _I'll be fine. He won't hurt me._

 _He won't hurt you, not physically, anyway._ Draco replied simply. Hermione wanted to shiver again, but instead, tried to focus on not bolting out of the room. Harry came over to help her put the potions ingredients away and when they were done, Ron's face was almost as red as his hair.

"How could you do that, 'Mione?" He began, sounding both hurt and angry at the same time. "Why would you save that ferret faced death eater?"

"Ron!" She scolded. "Was I just supposed to let Dra—Malfoy plummet to his death?" Ron looked like he was thinking about it before scowling at her.

"Yes. That's exactly what you should have bloody done." Hermione pursed her lips.

"Ron, I understand you're angry, but it's already done. It's not like I can go back and un-save Draco's life. I wouldn't want to either." She could almost hear the mental profanities Draco was yelling at Ron.

"You're calling him Draco now?" Hermione froze. The hatred in Ron's voice was more than evident. "I never took you for a traitor Hermione." The brunette couldn't help it, tears sprang to her eyes.

"That's not fair, Ron. You can't tell me who to be friends with!"

"He's the enemy, 'Mione! He bullied Harry for years, called you mudblood more times than any of us can count!" Ron yelled.

"But people change!" Hermione tried to keep her voice even but found it rising in her desperation to make Ron see reason. "You were mean to me in first year too, and I forgave you. I never once got mad at you about Lavender and the two of you snogging all over the place!"

"Now you're comparing me to ferret face?!" There was a small pause, when Hermione suddenly realized that it wasn't worth it. There was obviously too much bad blood between the two families and it was impossible for Ron to understand that Malfoy could possibly be any different. They both realized that Harry was gone, obviously leaving them to talk it out alone. Hermione heaved a mammoth sigh when she saw just how angry Ron was.

"Knowing me, Ron. Knowing that I don't just rush into decisions. That I always think them through, can't you trust that there is maybe more to Draco that meets the eye?"

"I can't see you as anything more than some kind of Slytherin sympathizing slag."

Hermione Granger's heart skipped a beat at her best friend's words. She'd known he was mad. She'd known that he could probably not understand anything about her and Draco's pseudo friendship, but there was still some part of her that thought that he could trust her the way Harry had. She wasn't asking for them to all sit around in a circle and play 'spin the bottle', but she was asking for some leeway. _And_ he'd called her a slut. She felt the tears rolling down her cheeks but made no move to wipe them away. Ron looked apologetic for a second before his blue eyes hardened. Draco's words from earlier rang in her ears as she picked up her satchel. _He won't hurt you, not physically, anyway._

A rough sob left her lips as she climbed the stairs of the dungeon and nearly fell to the ground in the entryway because of the tears that blinded her. She felt a pair of hands hoist her up by the shoulders and settle her on her feet.

"Thank you…" She whispered and wiped her eyes to come face to face with Pansy Parkinson. Padma was on the stairs smiling at her.

"Don't mention it, Granger." The black haired girl replied and walked up to meet Padma. They joined hands. "We were going up to the library, do you want to come?" Hermione nodded. Padma draped her arm around Hermione's shoulders.

"Why were you crying?"

"Ron Weasley." Hermione sniffled. "He yelled at me for saving Draco yesterday and called me a traitor and a slag for befriending him." Pansy rolled her eyes as they got to the library.

"Fucking Gryffindors." She managed to make it sound like an insult. "I mean, getting mad at you for something like that _seems_ like the obvious thing to do but it's not very bright." Padma nodded, to Hermione's surprise.

"But Ron Weasley is not known for his brains, Pans." She answered. Pansy agreed with that. So did Hermione to be honest. "A Slytherin would know that saving Draco Malfoy meant he was in your debt.'

"A life for a life, as it was." Pansy continued. "Draco owes you a life debt, Granger."  
"What would I want with Draco's life?" Hermione questioned, pausing before opening the library door.

"That's the point. He wouldn't give you his, so he'd have to repay with his service." Padma smiled knowingly at Pansy.

"He has to protect you. And right now, protecting you means socking Weasley in the face." The other girl pushed open the door so Hermione's argument died on her tongue in the reverent silence of the room. They headed to the left corner, closest to the restricted section. Hermione wanted to protest, saying something about the artificial sunlight filled windows but Padma waved her away. After saying hello to Ms. Pince, the librarian, Padma whispered a few words and Hermione gazed in wonder.

It was an impenetrable ward, created by Padma, the males explained as she sat. There was sunlight streaming in through the large window, the air was lively and Blaise was sharing a pint of butter beer with Theo. Draco was the only one not smiling. He was staring at her, his grey eyes narrowed into slits. The moment their eyes met, silence fell and the tension was suddenly thick.

"Where is he?"

"Draco, don't do this, ok?" Hermione felt more tears prick the back of her eyes. She didn't want to cry in front of so many people. "It's done. There's nothing that will fix it."

"What's going on?" Blaise wanted to know. Pansy was looking between Draco and Hermione, surprised that he already seemed to know what had happened between Granger and the Weasley.

"Granger and Weasel had a fight." She told the rest of the group. "He called her a traitor _and a slag_ for being friends with us." Blaise and Theo both stood up so quickly their chairs toppled backwards.

"He should be on his way to your common room, right Granger?" They asked at the same time and Hermione took a deep breath.

"He shouldn't have said it, don't try to protect him." Theo reasoned and Hermione thought it over. They were right of course. As angry as Hermione was, she had never resorted to calling Ron names and insulting him for anything. He shouldn't have said it, that much was true, but it would be wrong of her to set the Slytherins on him.

"I'm not protecting him." She answered. "I just don't want any of you to get in trouble for me." Draco's eyes softened.

 _You shouldn't have to take that from him._ He whispered in her mind and she blinked a tear away. _He should have at least tried to see it from your point of view._

"Granger, our house is known for cunning." Blaise pointed out. Hermione smiled wryly. "We wouldn't get caught."

 _Talk them down, please._ She pleaded to Draco. They were getting better at their mind link. She wasn't even looking at him. _I don't want them to hurt Ron._

 _They won't. I'll make sure of it._ She sighed and turned to Blaise, biting her lip. They all waited with bated breath for her answer.

"Don't hurt him…" Blaise nodded solemnly and he and Theo popped out of the wards, and walked briskly out. Draco lingered, locking eyes with her before following her out.

There was a beat of silence when Hermione became acutely aware of Padma staring at Pansy. The Slytherin girl groaned and followed her housemates outside. Padma patted Hermione's hand lightly and graced her with a reassuring smile.

"Pansy won't let them do anything stupid." Hermione smiled sadly, thinking to herself that it wasn't Pansy she was worried about.

* * *

Draco, Theo and Blaise found Ron Weasley in the third floor corridor, heading to Gryffindor tower. He seemed to be in an argument of sorts with Harry Potter since they both looked red in the face and Potter looked angry. Draco held Blaise back, knowing that an explanation of sorts was in order before Blaise turned to redhead into a toad. He and Theo stalked ahead, leaving Blaise in the back. Potter stopped and stared long before Weasley even realized who was waiting for them. When he saw, he drew his wand.

"We just want to talk." Theo began and Potter shrugged. Weasley however, folded his arms crossly.

"What could we possibly have to say to you death eaters?" Blaise took a step forward; Theo held a hand up, looking at Draco.

"See the funny thing is: we know this girl. Her name is Hermione." Draco almost smiled. "And right now, she's practically in tears because her best friend is a dim-witted arse."

"What Draco is saying is that he wants you to apologize to Granger." Potter looked surprised, as though he'd expected more of a fight. "We want you to do it now. She's in the library." Weasley got so red, Draco was expecting his head to pop at any second.

"Hermione is too good to be friends with any of you!" He yelled. Potter tensed and looked wary. "You're all bloody cowards, evil death eater cowards and left up to me, I'd throw the lot of you in Azkaban and never look back."

There was a flash of warm, blinding light and everyone was disoriented for a second. As soon as they got their bearings, Weasley let out a blood curdling scream. Boils had erupted all over his face, red and swollen.

"What the—" Draco looked back to Blaise who shrugged, indicating to his wand, still in his pocket. Theo cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself. He put his wand away.

"You realize, Weasley that its people like you and biases like yours that started this bloody war in the first place." Ron flinched. "Granger is being forgiving. It's the only way Wizarding England can move forward." Harry nodded, beside himself. "If you want to remain a backwards thinking twat, be my guest. But apologize to Granger. She doesn't deserve to be called a slag just because she's trying to mend fences."

" _You called her a slag_?!" Harry yelled at Ron who looked immediately guilty. He tried to stutter an excuse but none of the Slytherins were interested. They turned around and walked away.

Pansy stood in the hallway behind them and nodded approvingly. Theo smiled and took her hand.

"Padma sent me to make sure you didn't turn Weasley into a toad." She explained as they started for the library. "I'm proud of all of you."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns what she owns. I own nothing but my own life... and I've said the word 'own' too many times. Shit.**

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 **A/N: Not my finest work imho... but: Sit back, relax and enjoy. Oh, and review! :)**

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" _Ahem_ ," Hermione looked up from her parchment to see Harry shuffling nervously, blinking at her. She smiled. "Hey, Hermione."

"Fancy seeing you here." She teased, making him roll his eyes as he took the seat next to her. She rolled her parchment up to put it away. "Is everything alright?" Her face twisted up into horror. "You're not behind in classes, are you?"

"No, Hermione." He pacified immediately. Hermione relaxed. "I came to have a chat…" She nodded with a smile. "About Ron." The smile slipped. Her hand went to her chest, feeling the ring against her beating heart.

Draco was in the Slytherin common room, going over Ancient Runes with Theo and managed to keep his face stoic when he felt the ring warm up on his finger for no reason.

 _Granger?_ He closed his textbook and told Theo he needed a break. _Are you all right?_ Hermione sighed in relief when she heard his voice.

 _I'm fine. Sorry for interrupting._ Just knowing he was there gave her enough strength and confidence to lean towards Harry to have the dreaded conversation.

"I've already told him off for those awful things he said about you." Harry informed her and she nodded. "I don't know that he is ready to apologize, but there's still a lot of bad blood between the families."

"That's no excuse." Hermione chided, resisting the immediate urge to roll her eyes. "He insulted me and didn't even let me explain."

"I'm just saying that he needs some time to adjust." They joined hands over the table. 'Can you at least give him that?"

Hermione nodded, just wanting to be done with the conversation and Harry got up and walked away. She put her head in her hands, Ron's words rolling around in her head. Bad blood between the families, Harry had said. Although how Ron felt about Draco shouldn't have affected what he thought of her. He should have trusted her or at the very least kept his mouth shut and listened to her. When Hermione looked back up, her elbows were black from her spilled inkwell. She cursed under her breath and righted the bottle before grabbing her wand.

"Scourgify." Her head whipped up and Draco raised his eyebrows at her. "Granger the omnipotent…" He muttered and she rolled her eyes. He sat down and she chanced a glance around the library noting its emptiness. Ms. Pince was asleep at her desk. "Is Weasley going to apologize?"

"No…" Hermione turned in her seat so she could face him. "He's still holding a grudge, and I don't blame him." Draco looked surprised. "You used to be a git."

"I'm still a git, according to Blaise." He answered good-naturedly. "But my being a git, past or present, shouldn't have made him call you names." Hermione shrugged.

"Ron Weasely apparently lives by his own rules."

"I'd applaud him after I smash his face." He replied flippantly. Hermione narrowed her eyes into slits, shaking her head.

"Don't say things like that, I can't tell if you're joking."

"I wasn't." She was about to comment again but he held a hand up. "Something tells me you need a distraction. Come with me." She frowned at him and scoffed.

"Excuse me?" He stood up. "No, Malfoy, I still have two inches of parchment to fill, I can't go off gallivanting with you to Merlin knows where."

"Live a little, Granger."

"I'll live when I pass my NEWTS." She replied immediately, pulling her parchment towards her. Draco snatched it away earning a cry of protest from Hermione.

"We can work on Arithmancy with Theo later. You're coming with me now." She groaned in protest but still stood up.

After casting a disillusionment charm on her, he led her to the seventh floor corridor where she could see a familiar door taking shape. She couldn't help it, she gasped.

 _Is that?_

 _Yes, it is._ He replied, smiling shyly. _I spent most of the summer vacation here, repairing it. Took me ages._ Hermione's lip trembled as they walked to the door and Draco threw it open with a flourish. The walls of the room were painted beige and it was decorated elegantly with vintage furniture. A glass window occupied an entire wall and Hermione froze in shock as she recognized the city. The Eiffel Tower stood tall in the distance.

"How is this possible?" She breathed, stepping tentatively across the threshold. "We are still in Britain, aren't we?"

"We are…" Draco answered as he took her hand and leading her through the room. "But this is what I told the room I needed." They reached the huge window and he pushed a pane open. She could immediately detect scents that were distinctly Paris, the boulangeries and its fresh bread, spring flowers, cheese and tobacco.

"How is this possible?" She repeated and her voice shook as tears came to her eyes. Paris brought memories of her parents, memories that she'd tried to keep buried for a year.

"This is the parlour room of my mother's apartment in Paris. We're still at Hogwarts; the room can imitate every aspect of this room, right down to the Parisian smells. Even when you close the window." He smiled sadly. "I can smell my mother's favourite perfume." Their gazes met and held for seconds longer than necessary and Hermione turned around to close the window. She stepped away and surveyed the room.

"It looks amazing…" She remarked. "Your mother has excellent taste." He nodded, looking around with her.

"Except when it comes to men, naturally." It was said with a tinge of sadness or bitterness and there was a beat of silence as he strolled to a small couch and sat down. "It might make me seem a little crazy but I come here to feel closer to her." Hermione held her breath. "I just miss her so much…"

"I understand completely." She looked to the window again. "Seeing Paris again is bringing back all sorts of happy memories with my parents. We came here after second year." She smiled fondly moving so she could sit next to him. "I miss them too." Without stopping to analyse her actions, Hermione covered his hand with her own. He glanced at her to see that she was already staring at him. "I needed this, Draco."

"I know."

"Do I even want to know how you figured out that I loved this city?" He pretended to think as she studied his profile. He really was beautiful. She'd noticed it years ago, but his beauty had always seemed so untouchable, especially to her, a muggleborn from an obscure family. But now here he was, telling her his secrets and looking at her like she was something precious to him. She blinked when she realized he was talking to her.

"Now who's the awful friend, Granger?" She stammered. "Can I assume you didn't hear a word of what I just said?" She shook her head, red with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry." Her breathing accelerated and she shuffled closer to him. "I'm just a little distracted. He smirked smugly.

"I'm very distractible." She threw her head back in laughter.

"And arrogant as all hell." He moved their hands so he was clutching hers tightly. They sat in companionable silence. "Thank you for this," Her voice was barely audible. "This almost makes up for everything you put me through in the past…" His eyes widened.

"Really?"

"No." He let out a short bark of laughter and yanked her towards him. She toppled into his lap, laughing loudly as they fought, she tried to get up and he attempted to keep her down. She used the arm rests of the couch as leverage and pulled him down with her. They both caught their breath and simultaneously gasped as they realized their compromising situation. She was on her back and he was on top of her, his legs between hers.

"And your intentions finally become clear." She teased lightly, bringing levity to the situation. "Dragging me from the library for a cheap snog in the come and go room."

"Aptly named then." He grinned. "Get it: _Come and go._ " Hermione's eyes stifled a smile. "And for your information, Granger. There's no such thing as a cheap snog. Not when it comes to you, anyway."

And then he kissed her.

To say that Hermione Granger had never been kissed before would be a lie. She and Victor Krum spent many of her free periods in the Transfiguration Corridor studying and he'd been happy to kiss her for as long as she'd liked. However, she'd never been kissed the way Draco Malfoy was currently kissing her. The kiss made her feel weak in the knees and she was sure that if she wasn't holding onto his shirt, she would have fallen to the floor. It was like a little bomb going off in her head. They parted, breathless, and Hermione said the first thing that came to her mind.

"Well shit, Ron is going to have a cow." Draco pulled himself up and stared at her, incredulously. She righted herself too, and fixed her shirt.

"Gods, Granger, I've just snogged you senseless and your first thought is Weasley?" He rolled his eyes. Hermione felt a small flower of alarm blossom in her chest as he got up and started walking to the door.

"Wait, Draco." He didn't stop. "Jesus, Draco, please." He still continued marching to the door and Hermione stood and whipped her wand out. " _Wingardium Leviosa._ " He yelped as he was lifted off the ground and pulled back towards her.

"Fuck, Granger. Warn a guy."

"I tried to stop you, you pig-headed arsehole." She argued hotly. "It's not my fault I had to resort to less than pleasant methods of stopping you." He narrowed his eyes. "Now will you please listen?" He folded his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.

"What?" He said after a beat of silence. Hermione had the sense that there was some apologetic speech that could be made about how much she liked him but eventually, she settled for throwing herself into his arms and pulling his lips down to hers.

It felt a little like coming home.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: It all belongs to JK Rowling... unfortunately. No copyright infringement is intended and I make no profit from this. Merlin I wish I did. :)**

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Gryffindor Girls Dormitory, 5:45 PM

"You! Pee on this!" Ginny exclaimed the second she walked through the door. Hermione started and her books and parchment fell to the floor. With an annoyed groan, she picked them up and glared at Ginny, one hand on her hip.

"Well good evening to you too, Ginerva." Ginny was not impressed. "What the bloody hell is going on?" She demanded.

"Rumours." Lavender explained, sitting on her trunk with a bottle of nail varnish in one hand and her wand in the other.

"What rumours?"

"Are you deaf? Or do you just have selective hearing?" Parvati wanted to know. Hermione gave her a dumbfounded look. "Just today, the story changed from my own sister being pregnant by Theodore Nott to you being pregnant by Blaise Zabini." Hermione gasped. "And just as I was coming up here with that muggle home test, some third year asked if Theo was the father of your bastard child."

"Muggle home test?" Hermione repeated, in a daze. Parvati nodded. "I'm not pregnant." Ginny walked up to her seriously and there was a beat of silence before Lavender burst into uncontrollable giggles. Ginny turned to the blond haired girl and shushed her with a smile.

"Lavender!" Parvati scolded before falling back onto her bed, laughing loudly. "Ginny," She gasped, "Did you see her face?!"

"Merlin, that was hilarious." Hermione stood frozen, still confused. "Lighten up, Hermione." Ginny continued. "We didn't really get you a pregnancy test."

"There's a spell for that," Lavender informed them and continued laughing. "Merlin, Granger…" She observed that the brunette witch was still standing stock still. "You don't _really_ have a bun in that oven, do you?"

"No!" Hermione argued, still looking horrified. "Are there really students saying I'm pregnant?" Ginny nodded solemnly.

"Luckily everyone knows that you're brilliant and definitely not dim enough to let that happen before NEWTS."

"Thank Godric for that." Hermione commented and deposited her studying material into her trunk. She climbed onto her bed and threw her curtains together.

 _That really was hilarious._ She swore under her breath and pulled her covers up to her chin. _Your roommates are brill._

 _Go away, Malfoy, I just want to nap in peace._ She could feel him laughing at her pain and rolled her eyes. _I'm serious._

 _Nott actually wants to know if you'd like to study Arithmancy with him and Padma after dinner._ He asked and she nodded, glad to be able to after she was distracted earlier.

 _Thank you._ He went back to whatever he was doing and she fell into a light sleep after a few even breaths.

* * *

"This is a fucking joke." Pansy muttered hatefully under her breath. Padma laid a hand on her back and she calmed down minutely. All around them, students were milling to the great hall for dinner and while they walked, they talked. "Gossiping swots."

"They're only gossiping because they don't know the real story." Blaise pointed out reasonably and Theodore rolled his eyes.

"No, they're gossiping because you had the bad sense and poor judgement to sit with the Gryffindor Princess and have her feed you toast. Blaise smirked.

"Well in that case, they're only gossiping because they're jealous." He put both his hands behind his head, interlocking the fingers. "After all, everyone wants to feed me toast." Pansy poked him in the stomach.

"Yeah, that's why you look a little podgy round the middle, Blaise." The Italian looked outraged. "All the toast your conquests feed you." Blaise scoffed loudly.

"Finite incantatem." He countered and Padma gasped loudly as she came into view. Pansy smacked Blaise behind the head as Padma was forced to slow down so the Slytherins could walk ahead of her. "Ow!" He yelled.

"Haven't you learned your lesson about doing that?!" Theo asked with a small smile. He turned to see that Padma was forced to interact with some of her fellow Ravenclaws, shooting Blaise a look that promised vengeance. The fell into silence and the whispers could be heard.

 _I heard Parvati went into muggle London to buy a pregnancy test…"_

" _Why would she do that, there's a spell for it."_

" _Well it's obvious isn't it?"_ A Hufflepuff girl perked up _"Hermione fell in love with a Slytherin and the ministry took her magic away!"_

" _Why would they do that?"_

" _Well, she's a public figure. And the Slytherins are obviously evil. Maybe the Minister saw it as a betrayal."_ Theo and Blaise exchanged a look and Pansy ducked her head and walked further, losing herself in the crowd.

" _I don't think that's true."_ Padma spoke up from behind but she was ignored in favour of the boy who wondered which one of the Slytherin Princes had impregnated Hermione. Blaise sighed loudly and he too raced ahead to avoid any more baseless rumours. The large group entered the Great Hall, still talking amongst them. Dinner was served promptly, but before anyone could begin eating, someone spoke from the Slytherin table.

"Sonorous." All heads turned to the black haired girl who cleared her throat loudly. "Hello everyone." She called, her voice magically magnified. The few teachers on the dais looked up in surprise but no one moved to stop her. "My name is Pansy Parkinson, and in light of some awful things I'd been hearing about one of my fellow Hogwarts students, I felt it pertinent to…" And here, she trailed off, her eyes searching the crowd until they came to rest on a certain individual who nodded encouragingly. "To give you gossiping twats something true to talk about for once." There was a grumble of protest from the teachers' table at the expletive but there was still no interruption. "We all know Hermione Granger is too bloody obsessed with school to get herself preggers in her last year." There were some nods of agreement, mostly from the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables. "But I didn't come up here to talk about that, I just came to inform the general Hogwarts populous that I will be having dinner with my girlfriend." There were some gasps, some shouts of protests, and a little cheering from the Slytherin table. Professor McGonagall started clapping, much to pansy's surprise and this incited a wave of cheering from most of the students. "Thank you…" She laughed a little, giddy at the positive response.

There was deafening silence, though, as she whispered the countercharm to return her voice to normal and began to walk. She passed the Slytherin table straight, to the surprise of many and inhaled slowly as the Ravenclaws began making space for her. Padma stood and grinned as Pansy got to the table and pulled her into a hug.

"You fucking idiot." She whispered. "You should have warned me." Pansy pulled away and searched the other girl's eyes.

"If I told you, I'd talk myself out of it." She murmured and the two witches shared a chaste kiss that sparked even more cheering. They sat down together and began to eat.

Hermione was speechless as she watched the two girls that she'd come to like very much embrace in front of everyone.

 _Pansy is basically a Gryffindork after this…_ Draco muttered but when she looked over, she saw him smiling at his friends. _But it's going to take some of the heat off of you and your insatiable lust for Blaise, Theo, Potter, and Weasley._ Hermione raised an eyebrow and took a sip of her pumpkin juice to hide her smile.

 _Didn't know you were such a gossip, Malfoy._

 _Malfoys don't gossip._ He answered immediately. She laughed softly and took a treacle tart into her hand.

 _She's very brave to just come out like that in front of everyone._ Hermione mused, still chewing. She saw Malfoy shrug. _And for me, no less._

 _Well not all of us are insufferable cowards like you._ He chided. _And don't flatter yourself, Granger._ Their eyes met for a second and she smirked, looking fantastically Slytherin for a second. _She's been planning to do this for a while; you were just one of her motivators._ Hermione nodded resolutely and stood. _What the hell are you doing?_ She ignored him and began to walk. _Granger._ She didn't stop. _Granger, think about this for a second._ She shook her head and he groaned loudly. _Be reasonable Granger. Don't be Gryffindor._ Hermione snickered but did not stop walking.

The room was plunged into silence again as Hermione Granger walked across the great hall. Even the teachers stopped eating and stared. Malfoy was practically screaming in her mind but it didn't even slow her down. She was holding a cinnamon treacle tart in one hand and her glass of pumpkin juice in the other, looking determined. When she approached the Slytherin table, Theo looked surprised, Blaise looked pleased and Draco looked utterly shocked.

"I distinctly remember telling you that I wasn't a coward, Malfoy." She stated. He raised an eyebrow, still looking uncertain. "Now are you arseholes going to make room for me, or what?" They shuffled to the side and then she was sitting between Theo and Blaise, the latter of which was trying to force feed her the treacle tart amidst her protesting that she hated cinnamon.

They were all making conversation and Hermione was laughing at a particularly funny imitation of Professor Binns when there was the sound of glass breaking at the doors that led into the hall. All heads swivelled around to see a glass shattered on the concrete floor and Ronald Weasley, looking positively furious.

 **A/N: The term 'gossiping swot' hilariously came from one of my reviewers. I honestly didn't even know** _ **swot**_ **was a word… smh. Also, I really could not have been arsed to check what the hell a treacle tart was, or what flavours they came in… Forgive me if there's no such thing as a cinnamon treacle tart.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.**

 **A/N: The argument scene was written with Birdy-Without A Word blaring in my ears.**

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They were standing in the great hall and Ronald Weasley was yelling at her. Hermione hated that she had tears in her eyes, but couldn't help it.

"I was coming to apologize and this is what I see?!" He exclaimed and Hermione buried her face in her hands. "You have no shame, 'Mione."

"Stop talking, Weasley." Draco called from across the room. Ron flushed but stood his ground, throwing Draco a glare.

"Shut up, Malfoy!" He countered immediately. The students were all dulled in the background, Ron, with his flushed face and hands balled up into fists was in the foreground. He was looking at her as if she'd sinned and pulled Hermione up by her shoulders. She squeaked as she was brought forcefully to her feet. Ron stood mere inches away but he didn't lower his voice. "You don't deserve my apology; you're sympathizing with the enemy!" Hermione pushed him away, feeling his voice like knives on her skin. She shook her head violently. She hadn't done anything wrong; she couldn't understand why it felt like he was punishing her.

"You called me a sodding slag and _I_ don't deserve _your_ apology?" She laughed derisively. "Oh, that's rich, Ronald." He drew closer to her.

"You deserve whatever consequences you get for hanging out with those death eaters." Hermione couldn't see it, but Harry had gotten to his feet. So had Neville, Draco, Blaise, Pansy and Padma. The six of them walked briskly to where Ron was creating a scene.

"Take a walk, Weasley." Blaise called loudly, standing next to Hermione. Draco stood on her other side. "Cool off."

"Don't you dare talk to me like you're my equal!" Ron screamed holding his wand up to Blaise's throat. Hermione let out a sob and broke free from the crowd, her tears falling freely.

"I haven't done anything wrong." She sobbed, staring at Ron with wide eyes. "Can't you just trust that I know what I'm doing?" Ron said nothing, only stared and she decided that she didn't want an answer. She whirled around, making for the huge double doors. She pushed them open—j

And was immediately standing in the great hall. She looked around in confusion, taking the drastic change from the room she'd just exited to the one she was in currently. There were three elegantly decorated Christmas trees where the teachers' dais was supposed to be, silver chandeliers suspended in mid-air and snow falling from the roof. Hermione felt a tinge of recognition at the base of her skull, but it wasn't until she looked down that she realized when and where she was.

She was wearing lavender dress robes with a black sash around her waist. She smiled tenderly, knowing that the dress hadn't fit her since fourth year, the year of the Yule Ball.

"Recognize anything?" Said a voice from one end of the room. She turned to face the boy who stood in the finest black suit with a black robe hanging loosely over his shoulders. She smiled widely, taking him in. His all black attire contrasted starkly with his fair hair but it suited him, as everything tended to.

"How is this possible?" She wondered out loud, her earlier sadness and anger at Ron's over reaction was all but gone, her only emotion being amazement at Draco.

"I'll explain it all later." He held out his hand. "But now, I want to do what I wasn't brave enough to do on the night of the Yule Ball." She took it without hesitation and he drew her close. Immediately music filled her ears.

 _I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy._

 _I'll be your hope; I'll be your love, be everything that you need._

"This is perfect." She had to lean up to whisper in his ear and he flushed, but she couldn't see. "Thank you,"

 _I want to lay like this forever._

 _Until the sky falls down on me_

"How is it that you always know exactly what I need?" She wanted to know and he smiled a slow lazy smile that had her stomach flipping.

"Maybe I'm the omnipotent one." He replied easily and lowered his mouth down to hers. The kiss made her feel warm in all the right places and she roped an arm around his neck, threading her fingers through his ever-fine hair. He made a noise of approval in his throat and pulled her flush against him so she could feel every inch of muscle underneath his clothes. Her breath caught in her throat and he pulled away, glancing at her.

She was flushed, her heart was beating erratically but Draco looked unaffected. His fair face was as pale as ever and Hermione moved a hand to rest against his chest. His heart beat a frantic tattoo against her palm. They swayed to the music for a moment longer before Hermione pulled away. Draco took one look at her expression and sighed.

"Go ahead…"

"What's going on?" She asked. "Is this some kind of illusion, if so, where are we right now? In the room of requirement?" He shook his head.

"This isn't an illusion; you are, right now in the library. You were supposed to meet with Theo to study but he and Padma got held up talking with her sister near the black lake." Hermione frowned but Draco held up a hand, preventing her from interrupting. "I was in my dorm when you called my name, I answered but I didn't get a response. All I felt was a vague sense of unease. I closed my eyes to attempt to strengthen our link and I got pulled into your dream." The second he said the word dream, a chandelier crashed to the floor. The room began to fall apart but Draco looked untroubled. "You were having a nightmare. I just wanted to make it better." Hermione nodded numbly, her heart thudding against her ribcage.

She was in love with him.

Hermione Granger tumbled out of her dream and promptly fell onto the freezing cold concrete of the library floor. Ms. Pince gave her a stern look but said nothing. She began to pick her books up off the floor, packing them neatly onto the table before levitating them all to the rightful shelves. She could still taste Draco on the tip of her tongue and the contents of her dream came flooding back to her. She loved him. Hermione was in love with Draco Malfoy. She groaned loudly, eliciting a glare from the librarian. She wondered vaguely if her life was ever going to get uncomplicated at any time. With Ms. Pince's beady eyes intently on her, she resorted to simply huffing under her breath.

"Fuck."

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 **Note: The song they dance to is called Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden. It came out in 1998 which is when the characters are in their final year. It also happens to be my uncle's favourite song.**

 **Read and Review :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: No excuses for how long it's been. Let's just say school got in the way. Ugh.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, I swear! -looks shifty- Please don't sue me.**

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Just Outside the Slytherin Common Room, 11:26PM

"Granger...?" Draco rubbed his sleepy eyes while trying to simultaneously smooth down his rumpled hair. Hermione was speechless for a moment, a bed headed Draco Malfoy was a rare sight indeed. "Are you mental, it's half eleven at night."

"Yes, grandfather, I'm perfectly aware of your bedtime _and_ your incessant need for beauty sleep." He scowled and she grinned up at him.

"You joke, but I get positively insufferable if I don't get a full ten hours of sleep."

"That actually explains why you were such a git in first year..."

"...Granger." He rolled his eyes.

"And second and third and fourth."

"Are you done?" He tried to look and sound annoyed but there was a small smile playing around his lips. Hermione tried not to stare. "Because in case you haven't noticed, it's bloody freezing."

"And your ability to magic has completely escaped you?" Draco flushed lightly, amusing Hermione, and pulled his wand out of the pocket of his silver silk pajamas. He cast a quick warming charm. "Excellent. Now follow me." She turned around and walked down the corridor, her footfalls completely muffled. He rolled his eyes, but hurried after her anyway.

She waited just before the threshold of the entrance hall and took his hand before casting a disillusionment charm on herself. He was confused until he saw the few students still milling about despite the late hour. He didn't recognize most of them.

"Where are we going?" He whispered, but Hermione was silent as she led him up the main staircase. They went up two floors and when it was finally clear, she cast the countercharm

"When you were dragging me all over the castle at all hours of the day, I never asked you where you were taking me."

"Actually-" He began to interrupt but Hermione raised both hands to his lips in a valiant attempt to shush him.

"Malfoy." She scolded and he bit his lip to keep from laughing. In the light of the third floor corridor, he was able to appreciate Hermione Granger in all her beauty. Her hair was as untamed as ever, being held back by a frighteningly small hair tie, she was wearing soft blue pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt. She completed the ensemble with a horrifying red and gold anorak that made his head hurt just looking at it.

"Granger, if you don't mind my asking." She rolled her eyes. "Why are we here?"

"We are here because professor Burbage is a half blood." Draco frowned, not understanding. Hermione beckoned him, took his hand again and led him to the huge picture window that overlooked the Hogwarts grounds she sat at one end and he took a seat at the other. They looked down to see no more than thirty students all gathered around the grounds, some huddled in groups of three, couples holding hands or sharing warmth in the soft moonlight and individuals chasing the cold with mugs of steaming liquid and cigarettes with glowing tips. There was a sense of anticipation in the air that Draco picked up on, even from three storeys above.

"What is going on?" He wanted to know. "How is Filch not raining hell down on their heads?" Indeed, even Argus Filch and Mrs. Norris stood among the masses, Filch holding the purring cat gently in his arms.

"Because we're waiting." She consulted her small, silver wristwatch with a satisfied smile. Draco was as confused as ever. He kept on scanning the grounds almost anxiously.

"Waiting for what? And what does Professor Burbage's blood status have to do with anything." Hermione sighed and sidled closer to him, putting her hand into his to pacify his unease.

"Professor Burbage is a half blood which means she's one of the few members of staff that actually remember." Hermione turned in the window seat so she was facing outside completely and Draco did the same, resigned to the fact that she wasn't going to spoil the surprise.

They didn't have to wait very long, as in a matter of moments, the Hogwart's Clock Tower began to chime, signaling midnight. With the very first toll of the bell came the first crackle.

A lone yellow jet of light shot into the sky exploding into a cloud of silver and gold. Draco gasped involuntarily, his hand immediately clutching hers. He turned fully to the window as more crackles and pops erupted. The second stream started as blue and burst into a shower of white, turning into a majestic eagle that soared into the clouds and vanished. A white stream of light changed rapidly from gold to orange to red before bursting into a roaring lion. There were cheers from the students watching and more night clothes clad students raced out to enjoy the show. Green streams of light turned into snakes that slithered in the air, coughing up bursts of silver, a badger rolled around lazily leaving streaks of yellow, luminous against the night sky.

Throughout the display, Draco stared wide eyed at everything, his hands never letting go of hers. She felt her heartbeat accelerate with every gasp and when he finally turned to stare at her, she couldn't help herself.

"Kiss me." She whispered, her voice filled with urgency. He raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Well I suppose it had to come down to this at some time."

"Draco Malfoy, don't be a prat." She laughed and reached up to graze her fingers against his cheekbones. "Just kiss me. Now, please. Before the last stroke." The questioning look never left his face, but he complied and leaned down, capturing her lips in a kiss that made her toes curl up in her socks. They parted and he smiled lazily.

"What was the urgency about."

"A kiss at midnight on new year's." She answered slowly, still gaining her wits about her. "It's tradition."

"A muggle thing?"

"Yes."

"What is it supposed to mean?" He wanted to know as another eagle exploded into a shower of blue and silver lights.

 _That I love you._ She wanted to say. _That I want to spend the rest of the year with you._ The words tickled around her mind. _That I see a future with you._ She swallowed.

"Nothing in particular. Just good luck and prosperity throughout the year."

"A kiss does that?" he was dumbfounded and she only shrugged. Instead of going back to the other side of the window seat, she settled between his legs and laid her head on his chest.

"It also means..." She trailed off. She couldn't tell him. Telling him would make him run the other way, wouldn't it? She sighed. "That you want the other person to be happy." He nodded, making a satisfied noise at the back of his throat.

"I'm happiest right here." He murmured so softly she wasn't even sure if she'd heard him correctly. He sighed into her hair and pulled her closer. She allowed herself to smile.

It was already shaping up to be a good year.

"Hermione?" She looked up at him and he was wearing a shy but playful smile. "Do you know what would make the night even better?"

"What?" He pulled his wand out again and whispered a few words. He immediately looked satisfied as he pocketed it. "What did you do?"

"You'll see." He kissed her forehead and leaded back against the wall, watching the fireworks display. She shrugged mentally and leaned into him, the melodious voices of the students who stayed awake to ring in the new year drifted up to them through the open window.

 _We two have paddled in the stream,_  
 _from morning sun till dine†;_  
 _But seas between us broad have roared_  
 _since auld lang syne_

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 **A/N: This fanfiction exists in a universe in which Voldemort does not kill Charity Burbage, the muggle studies teacher. I also didn't know whether or not wizards know about/watch fireworks displays which explains the few students that actually stayed up to watch it. In my mind they were all half bloods and muggleborns.**

 **As a side note: Happy New Year! I wish you all lots of fun, laughter and love.**


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